CHAPTER XVII 
SAFE WINTERING 
WITH each recurring spring a large percéntage of 
colonies fail to respond to the roll-call, and their 
disappointed owners cast vainly round for some 
explanation of what is to them an unintelligible 
mystery. The bees were all right in the autumn, 
strong, full colonies, and now they are dead. 
The same old thing repeats itself year after year, 
and will continue to repeat itself until bee-keepers 
more thoroughly understand what is required in 
order that their bees may winter safely. 
Stocks ought to, and will winter safely, and I 
will guarantee that ninety-five per cent might be 
brought through. Personally I only admit of pos- 
sible loss in one direction, and this is owing to the 
bees becoming queenless during the winter. There 
is no remedy for this. Queens, like everything 
else, die at times from natural causes, and if 
this occurs in winter the stock becomes a total 
loss. 
All these lost colonies, however, of which I 
speak are starved:to death in ‘nineteen cases out 
of twenty. Fhis may seem an astounding fact, 
IolI 
