44 



CHAPTER XI. 

 Preparing for Winter. 



Siiirr l,,Ts lly at 4S , I lie iilral I eiii |ifrat nrr fcr « inturiii.i;- i^^ "">- n f>-'"' 'I'-g'''-''-'^ l<-'«^' 

 s;,v 4.-. . Imi- u, tins ll.rv wouM oinsun,.- tli.- niiiHimim of stnirs, siiire honey is t.. them, 

 nf'rnnisr, tlir snur.T of hri.l. In iv -Ions «Ih'Iv the teni] .evat uie falls hchjw zero it i.s a 



eonu , prart,e,.to«nne,ll,eeohanesin a cellar, most of wlneh is nndergronn.l, Imt 



« ith ..uvfiil paekinj,' the hees ,lo all n-ht out of ch.ors in the same hicalities. In the 

 dry l.elt of tins I'rovinrr, hives that are to he left on their summer stand must he packed 

 tor the xvniter. The easiest way is t,. ,onsi,airl a hottomless hox <ait of cheaj) material 

 lar-e rnoueh to-ivea free spaee of (i inches all round the hive when it is in position, say 

 24x:-i-2 inches. 20 inches Inch. Cut out enough fi..m what will he the front to give free 

 access to the entrance. 



Now get a sutBcieut .pi.-intity of dry leaves, straw, excelsior, or shavnigs. First 

 pack tight underaeatli the hive, then place the hox in pusiti(m, fitting in a piece of 

 wood to iircvent the packing coming down o\er the entrance. Now fill up all round the 

 hive, i.annuingthe material in tight; next over the top. The latter is the most important 

 part ol all, hecanse heat travels iipwai'd, so he sure to get enough protection on top. 

 \\'hen full, nail on a cover, which must he «-atertight. Use jiaint, tar-paper, or canvas 

 to keep out the wet. 



The size of the entrance for winter is one of these p(]ints on wdiich hee-keepers 

 ditFcr very decidedly, some advocating one the whole width of the hive, wdule others 

 prefer one ahout 3 inches long liy p inch high. The tendency is apparently towards 

 giving plenty of air hut without drauglits. 



In the coa.st regions many hee-keepers content themselves with no special protection 

 at all, simply leaving the hives as they happen to he at the heginning of winter. Others 

 place two or three strips of lathing a.cross the frames to nuike easy travel from one 

 part of the hive to another in the warmest part ; on these a quilt of sacking ; then an 

 empty super, which is packed \\'ith anything that will hold in the heat. The cover 

 mtist he fastened securely, so that it cartnot he hlown off in the winter gales. 



Still another method is to ^\"rap> thin tar huilding-paper round the hive. Take oft' 

 the co\'er, put on a few layei's (jf sacking ahoNc the frames, then put the paper round 

 the hive, leaving the surplus sticking up ahove it. Strings are worthless for protecting 

 the paper : strips of wood arc much more satisfactory. Place one along the edge of the 

 overlap, fastening \\'ith a c(ui])le of nails. Fold the projecting pieces of the paper over 

 the sacking and replace the co\-cr. Finish off by nailing strips (»f wood, such as lathing, 

 on the jiaper at the lower edges of the hive. This covering need not be removed until 

 well along in May, when the hees are strcuig. 



CHAPTER XII. 

 Queens. 



The average beginner naturally makes no effort to control his bees in their natural 

 impulse to increase by sw-arming, but one season's experience of retrieving swarms, and 

 of investing money in new hives, with not infrc(piently very little returns in the shape 

 of honey, will soon arouse a desire within him to liecome master of the situation, so that 

 increase shall he when he wants it anil to the extent that will suit him. To attain this 

 desirable end he must learn a few simple facts abtait the life histoi-}- of the iiueen, from 

 the egg to the time when she begins to lay. 



