38 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



If single ply tarred paper or aiiy other waterproof black paper is 

 laid over each hive, folded down around the sides as one would do 

 up a bundle and secured bjr strips of lath tacked along the lower edge, 

 excellent protection is afforded both from moisture and from wind. 

 Never close the entrance. It ma)' bo reduced in size, even down to a 

 square inch, but the experience of years has shown that colonies with 

 entrances wide open {i. e. 14 by 1 inch) are not only just as strong 

 in the spring as those with reduced entrances, but often stronger. 



Attend carefully to this full work No amount of fussing and feed- 

 ing in the spring will make amends for neglect in the fall. 



CELLAR WINTERING. 



It is quite unnecessary to put bees in the cellar in this climate, in 

 fact they are much better off out of doors. Some persons put them 

 under sheds, packing all about with leaves or similar material. This 

 is unwise as the hives get damp and the bees do not get the l^enefit of 

 the sun and air. Leave them where the\' stood all summer, merely 

 erecting some sort of a wind break if in an exposed place. 



ENEMIES. 



Bees have few real enemies here. Skunks sometimes disturb them 

 when the hives sit close to the ground. Ants not infrequently annoy 

 them and occasionally become a real nuisance. They are readily 

 destroyed by pouring gasoline into their nests, or the legs of the hive 

 stands may be placed in tin can covers and a little crude oil or 

 kerosene poured into each. Birds rarely disturb them. The king 

 bird or bee martin catches a few, but as these birds do so much good 

 in devouring various noxious insects, we can well afford to give them 

 a bee now and then. To a person engaged in commercial queen 

 rearing a pair of king birds maj- become a decided pest, for they seem 

 prone to catch the young queens. If shot at a few times with blank 

 charges they rarely fail to change their hunting ground. 



" Wax moths " are often accused of killing out the bees. The bees 



