and its Economic Management. i8$ 



snugly. The large entrance no doubt caused immeidJate 

 activity when any sunny spell occured, while those 

 stocks behind double walls, or having smaller entrances, 

 were not so readily aroused to make the most of their 

 opportunities. 



Small Entrances Detrimental. 



I had two other hives in a bee house with very large 

 entrances facing a constant westerly wind. Upon examin- 

 ation in spring, these showed three and five combs respec- 

 tively occupied by brood. The entrance was then 

 considerably reduced when the bees began to contract the 

 extent of the brood nests. Evidently a free opening to the 

 outer air is an item of the first necessity, checking any 

 undue inclination to fly, while at the same time allowing 

 rapid flight when the temperature is suitable. The posi- 

 tion I have taken Hp in regard to 



Plenty of Air both in Summer and Winter 



in connection with large hives and frames, is confirmed 

 in a very decided manner by an experience related by 

 Mr. Chas. Dadant, in the American Bee Journal ot 

 December 26th, 1895. This champion of large hives, and 

 the largest frame in use (the Quinby), states that a bee- 

 keeper he once visited " had five or six hives in a covered 

 apiary facing south. Those hives were placed upon strips 

 made of one-inch timber, two inches wide, and nailed 

 edgewise on stakes driven into the ground, so as to form a 

 sort of rack. The hives had no bottom boards, for our 

 friend thought that bees succeeded best when they had 

 plenty of air. , . . Strange to say, colonies in these 

 hives wintered successfully, and we were very much 

 astonished, in one of the hardest winters, to find that he 

 had not lost a single colony, while our losses had been 

 heavy." 



