242 WINTERING. 
more empty cells in the proper place for occupancy by the 
bees. If they are to be left out-of-doors, care must be 
taken not to have these center combs too full of honey, 
as the bees must cluster more compactly than when they 
have warmer surroundings. Mr. Betsinger advocates 
wintering in combs full of sealed honey. This is an ex- 
treme which I cannot endorse, but the opposite extreme 
of too much empty comb, should also be avoided. In 
determining the amount of winter food, it is necessary 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 as are 
lacking. If, from any cause, there is a deficiency, it 
must be supplied as directed in the Chapter on Feeding. 
The habit of the bees, of filling out with honey, cells 
containing pollen, is sometimes the cause of an incorréct 
estimate of the amount of honey in a hive, especially if 
it has been queenless, and the pollen unconsumed by 
young bees. I have furnished such combs to colonies for 
winter, judging from the weight that the supply would 
be ample and found, too late, that the excess of pollen 
had deceived me, as the bees perished before spring for 
want of honey. .At the same time that we are con- 
sidering these conditions, we must aim to secure large 
quantities of young bees for winter. The importance of 
this consideration, cannot be over-estimated. 
In the winter of 1869-70, 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 the preceding season of 1869 was so poor, 
that, during the latter part of it, very little, if any brood 
was reared. The result was, that nearly all of the bees 
that went into- winter-quarters were old. During the 
spring of 1870, these old bees wasted very rapidly, as 
might have been expected, and very few swarms recovered 
sufficiently to store surplus honey to any extent, although 
