BEEKEEPING IN ARKANSAS 1 r, 



groups of four, two facing in an opposite direction from the other 

 two, and about one foot apart. The winter case is best made 

 out of 8-inch shiplap, large enuf to accommodate four 10-frame 

 two story hives, with additional four inches of space below the 

 hives, six inches around the sides of the hives (these are now 

 placed close together) and 8 inches on top of the hives. All this 

 extra space is filled up with sawdust, shavings, excelsior, or 

 dry leaves. The entrance of the hives leads thru a tunnel and a 

 series of holes bored in the side of the case to the outside. The 

 top is covered with roofing paper and made so that the contents 

 of the case will remain perfectly dry in all kinds of weiather. 



These wintering cases are being used at the experiment 

 station and by a few of the beekeepers in the state. While they 

 represent a considerable outlay, they also bring very good re- 

 sults, and if properly cared for will last for many years. 



Various other methods of wintering, some of them less ex- 

 pensive than the one outlined above, are fully discussed in the 

 books on beekeeping listed on page 32. 



Winter Stores. An ample supply of winter stores is just 

 as important as adequate protection. There must be a sufficient 

 supply of stores to keep the bees thruout the winter, and also to 

 meet the demand occasioned by early brood rearing. Thirty 

 pounds of honey is often given as the amount necessary to keep a 

 colony thruout the winter. fThis will perhaps do tqr small 

 colonies. For strong colonies fifty pounds will be a better and 

 safer estimate. Not only the quantity of winter stores, but also 

 their quality must receive due consideration by the beekeeper. 

 Winter stores and feeding are more fully discussed on page 19. 



Spring Management. This has for its chief, aims to rear a 

 large number of worker bees in each colony, and to prevent 

 swarming. 



If the bees have had ample protection in the winter, they are 

 likely to come thru in good condition, and it is better not to dis- 

 turb them too early in the spring. However, they may have run 

 short of stores, and therefore a superficial examination on a 

 warm day is advisable. In case the stores are exhausted, the 

 colony must be fed (see page 19). Colonies that have come thru 

 the winter in a very weak condition should be united. A colony 

 that does not have enuf bees to cover two frames should be united 

 with a strong colony, (see uniting, page 19) to prevent robbing. 



A careful examination of all the colonies should be made 

 as soon as warm weather sets in to determine whether or not any 

 colonies are queenless, and whether or not sufficient stores are 

 present in the combs. A fertile and vigorous queen is recogniz- 

 ed by the presence of a generous amount of evenly deposited 

 worker brood. If there is a large amount of drone comb in a 



