It is found good practice by many, of our most successful beekeepers to leave 

 extracting supers on the hives as long as the bees are liable to be gathering any- 

 thing. "When the supers are removed this takes away most of the honey they have 

 been storing, leaving the brood-chambers rather light and ready for a heavy feed 

 of sugar syrup. Each colony is then fed as much sugar syrup as it will take up 

 to 40 or 50 pounds. It is then known to be in good condition so far as the stores 

 are concerned. 



The Hive. 



The hive should be suited to the size of the cluster. It should be either warmly 

 packed with good, dry material or placed in a cellar, and should be well ventilated. 

 The entrance should never be closed, but should be contracted if sufficient upward 

 ventilation is given. Those who practice wintering with sealed covers leave the 

 entrances much larger than those who have upward ventilation. It is better to 

 have the entrances so arranged that mice cannot enter the hive during winter. An 

 entrance not more than % inch wide will make this practically sure. 



The Location. 



This is, to a large extent, beyond the control of the average beekeeper. He 

 keeps his bees where he lives. But for commercial beekeeping great care should 

 be exercised in choosing a locality. While the presence of an abundant honey flora 

 is the first' consideration, spring sources of nectar and pollen play an important 

 part in bringing the colonies up to the main honey flow in the best of condition. 



The latitude does not make so much difference as one might think. Colonies 

 properly put away seem to winter about as well in the north as in the south of 

 Ontario, only of course the northern bees require more protection and consume 

 more food. 



For outside wintering the apiary should be dry and sunny, and especially 

 should be sheltered from cold winds. If a natural windbreak is not available an 

 artificial one of some kind should be put up. Some use a latticed fence six or 

 eight feet high. When sheltered from winds this way it does not matter very 

 much which way the hives face. Many prefer a southern exposure, but it is largely 

 a matter of convenience. In some apiary arrangements, where alternate rows 

 face in opposite directions, the rows are placed to run north and south facing the 

 hives east and west. This gives every entrance some sun during the day. Katurally 

 the. northern entrance is more objectionable than any other. An apiary in winter 

 should not be disturbed by cattle or other things travelling about and jarring 

 the hives. Complete quiet and absence of outside disturbance is one of the im- 

 portant factors in successful wintering. Where bees are wintered in a cellar the 

 place should be kept dry and totally dark. It should be carefully ventilated to 

 keep the air sweet at all times,, and the temperature should be kept at about 40° 

 to 45° P. The rule of avoiding disturbance applies even more to cellar than to 

 outside wintered bees. 



