WINTERING, 245 
IT am satisfied that it would be better to prepare tha hives 
as will be described, and leave them upon their summer 
stands. Yet, my experience in wintering under nearly 
all circumstances, will, I think, warrant the assumption 
that, all things considered, in-door wintering is preferable, 
particularly in our cold climate. 
If bees are to be left upon their summer stands, the 
first thing necessary is, to provide the hives with ample 
protection from cutting winds. If this is not afforded 
naturally, a tight board fence should be built forthe pur- 
pose. Many practice packing straw about the hives in 
such a manner that the sun cannot, at any time, shine 
upon any part of them, unless temporarily upon the 
front, which is the very thing that should be avoided, 
as this induces the bees to fly. Properly arranged pack- 
ing at the tops and sides of frames, is often very advan- 
tageous, yet, as it is generally used, I think it is the cause 
of the loss of more bees than it benefits. I speak from 
experimental knowledge,. having packed hundreds of. 
colonies,in the Quinby hives. It will be seen by noticing 
the construction of this hive, that the case is large and 
that, when all boxes are removed, the space for packing is 
abundant. Ihave filled this space with saw-dust, chaff, 
cut and whole straw, and dearly bought experience 
forces me to say, that with improper management, very 
bad results come from the use of such packing. The ar- 
gument offered in its favor, is, that the packing will ab- 
sorb the moisture, and retain the warmth of the bees. 
This is true, and it is equally true that, unless the sun is 
allowed to reach this packing and evaporate the moisture, 
it is the direct cause of harm. 
If bees are to receive no attention, I would prefer to 
risk a common box-hive with holes in the top, loosely 
filled with rags or some porous substance, than those 
packed with chaff or straw. Cold is not so frequent a 
cause of loss in winter as many suppose, provided the 
