168 BEGINNER'S BEE BOOK 



the following season opens. Many beekeepers 

 make a practice of leaving a super of extract- 

 ing combs on the hive for a reserve supply, in 

 addition to the honey in the brood nest. 



Where the bees are wintered outside, the 

 necessary packing should be done early. It is 

 better to pack late than not to pack at all, but 

 there is a decided advantage in favor of finish- 

 ing the winter preparations as soon as con- 

 venient after the nights begin to be frosty. 



AU of the beekeeper's activities center in 

 the queens which head his colonies. Without 

 good queens no matter how careful the man- 

 agement there can be no satisfactory degree of 

 success. Given vigorous young queens, the 

 other essentials are not many. Mr. George 

 Demuth of the U. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture sums up as follows : stores, room and pro- 

 tection. Given plenty of stores, an abundance 

 of room for colony activities at the proper time, 

 and suitable protection, success is assured. 



