ss 



OUTAPIARIES 



The deep telescope caps 

 are filled with leaves and 

 carefully replaced after first 

 adjusting the straw mat 

 above to the cluster. For 

 hives with the shallow cover 

 a shallow super full of leaves 

 is added. Two men pack 

 and replace the caps while 

 two more follow and pack 

 the hives outside, packing 

 material being about six in- 

 ches thick andplaced on both 

 sides and the back, leaving 

 the front, facing south, ex- 

 posed. For holding the 

 packing on the outside, a 

 frame of chicken netting is 

 used. These nets rise to 

 the top of the telescope 

 caps making at least four inches of packing on top and all sides 

 exce])t the front. 



There are several advantages to this plan. First, the equip- 

 ment requii-ed is reduced to a minimum; rakes, leaf nets and pack- 

 ing frames being all that is needed extra,. The cost of packing 

 is light, four men packing an apiary of 100 colonies in a day besides 

 raking fresh di-y leaves. 



In a locality- where the sun is sufficiently warm to allow of 

 winter flights, the front of the hive warms up and induces the 

 bees tf) flight, while, if they were heavily packed as with some 

 other systems, the interior of the hive would hardl>' feel the sun's 

 heat until time of day for flight was passed. In the vicinity of 

 Hamilton, Illinois, this method has been so successful and the 

 percentage of loss so small that it seems inadvisable to invest 

 more in wintering equipment i-(^r|uiring also additional labor. 

 Naturally, wherever possible, all ai)iaries are given the best advan- 

 tage of location for winter protection. 



Fig. 34. The stra\y mat is placoil next 

 to the frames. 



