WIXTEBIXG. 243 



more empty cells in tlie proper place for occupancy by the 

 bees. If they are to be left oat-of-d jors, care niiijt bo 

 taken not to have these center ci'mbs too full of honey, 

 as the bees must cluster more compactly than when thev 

 have warm.er surrouDdings. Mi. Betsinger advocates 

 wintering in combs full of sealed honey. This is an ex- 

 treme which 1 cannot endorse, but the opposite extreme 

 of too much empty comb, should also be avoided. In 

 determining the amouat of ^\'inter food, it is necessaiy to 

 know the average weight of the hive and contents, inde- 

 pendent of the honey; all stocks should be weighed, and 

 those too heavy, should exchange combs with such a-~ are 

 lacking. If. from any cause, there is a deficieiiey, it 

 must be supplied as directed in tlie Chapter on Fi-eding. 



The habit of the bees, of filling out with hone-, c^ils 

 containing pollen, is sometimes the cau,-e of an incorrect 

 estimate of the amount of honey in a hive, especially if 

 it has been qneenless, and the poDen uiiconsumed by 

 young bees. I have furnished such combs to colonies for 

 winter, Judging from the weight that the supply Avould 

 be ample and found, too late, that the excess of pollen 

 had deceived me, a= the bees perished before spring for 

 wa:'.t of hun?y. At the same time that we are con- 

 sideriu,' t icse conditions, we must aim to secure large 

 quantities of young hees for winter. Tlie importance of 

 this consideration, cannot be over-estimated. 



In the winter of 1^^69-70. probably more bees were lost 

 than in any other season in the history of bee-keeping. 

 Those who suffered as largely as we did at that time, will 

 remember that tlic precedinsr season of 1SG9 was so poor, 

 that, during the latter part of it, very little, if any brood 

 was reared. The result was, that nearly aU of the bees 

 that went iito wi»ter-quarters were old. During the 

 sprin2^ of 1870. these oil bees wasted very rapidly, as 

 miijht have been exp'-cted, and very few swarms recovered 

 sufficiently to .store sarphis honey to any extent, although 



