348 WINTERING. 



Such facts abound, and we have but to open the bee-jour- 

 nals to find the confirmation of our statement. 



In the American Bee-Journal for February 8, 1888, page 

 83, Mr. J. P. Stone of Holly, Mich., asks why a colony, 

 which was hived in 1859 in a large box, is prospering yet, 

 while others have perished. The size given, 16X16X22, which 

 shows that the box has twice the capacity of an 8-frame 

 Langstroth hive, answers his question. 



In the following number of the same journal, page 107, 

 Mr. Heddon mentions a colony which had wintered safely 

 for seven years in a box ten times larger than the Langstroth, 

 while many others died by its side. "The colony, when trans- 

 ferred, contained about double the number of bees usually 

 raised from one queen." 



Yet small colonies can be safely wintered out of doors, if 

 their combs and honey are not spread over a large space, 

 and if they are sheltered so as to maintain the proper heat. 

 It is therefore indispensable to reduce the combs of a hive to 

 the amount of room which the bees can best keep warm, by 

 the use of the division or contracting board (349), leaving a 

 sufficient supply of good honey, supply which, sometimes, 

 may be taken from too rich colonies. 



Uniting. 



633. A queenless colony, in the Tall, should always be 

 united to some other hive. 



If two or more colonies, which are to be united, are not 

 close together, their hives must be gradually drawn nearer, 

 and the bees may then, with proper precautions, be put into 

 the same hive. For this purpose, it is well to kill the poorest 

 queen (if both have queens) and keep the best. This may be 

 dispensed with, but the prudent bee-keeper will never neglect 

 an opportunity to improve his stock. On a cool November 

 day, the combs of the weaker colony that bear the cluster, 

 should be lifted all together, and inserted in the other hive, 



