•jS THE beekeepers' DIRECTORY. 



double-wall h,ives. Yet the latter hive is the proper one to use 

 so far as experience has solved the winter problem. Not only in 

 winter does the double- wall hive have the advantage over the sin- 

 gle-wall hive, but in spring more particularly. 



Bees may pass safe through the winter months and be in fair 

 conditi'on on the iirst day of April, yet a colony cannot be con- 

 sidered safely wintered that has not gone through to the loth of 

 May. At that date if the colony is a strong one with plenty of 

 beds and brood they haye wintered through in perfect condition. 



To accomplish sflch a result the following method has been 

 practised for many years in the Bay State Apiary : It is of course 

 understood that the proper amount of food, say twenty- five lbs., 

 must be in the combs and sealed before October i . Each col- 

 ony should have a good queen, and this means one that is young 

 and properly bred. The colony should consist of at least, four 

 quarts of bees that were reared after August i . These conditions 

 are absolutely necessary for the safe wintering of a colony of bees. 

 The hives are placed two feet above the ground, this is neces- 

 sary to protect the bees from the dampness of the earth in winter 

 and to keep the front of the hive above the snow, and will also 

 obviate the necessity of removing the snow except after heavy 

 storms. ; 



In the double-wall hives we use there is a space of two inches 

 between the walls of the outer and inner hives, and if the snow is 

 banked against them all winter it can do rio damage. 



Packing and its disadvantages. 



If the hives are so constructed that no moisture can get through 

 the outer case at any joint, the space may be filled with chaff, 

 planer-shavings or hay that is cut about two inches long. Unless 

 the packing can be kept very dry none should be used. I will 

 give the reasons why I so advise. 



In kll the hives I have packed, the combs were nearly ruined 

 by mould. In some instances the moisture got in through the 

 outer-case and at other times it came from the bees and seemed 

 to penetrate the entire packing, so much so, that the hive and 

 combs were damp until the approach of warm, dry weather. 



I really cannot see any advantage of the packing during the 

 winter months. If the hives are made in a workmanlike man- 

 ner the cold air cannot reach the brood-chamber. In my ex- 

 perience spring packing is far more important than in winter. 



