8 



FAEMEES BULLETII^T lOU. 



through the entrance. This is entirely possible if the entrances are 

 adequately reduced. The conclusion to be drawn from the experi- 

 ments performed is that unless the bottoms of hives are well packed, 

 the beekeeper ought not to imagine that he has packed his hives at 

 all well- 



THE PACKING CASE- 



There is no virtue in any special type of case, but in all types 

 there are a few points which must be observed. There must be 

 jDrovision for abundant packing on the top, bottom, and sides, the 

 entrances must be small, the case must be rain-proof, and the con- 





Fig 2 — Tlie winter packing cases used m the Bureau of Entomology apiaiy. a^ 

 Betail of tunnel to liires In tlie specifications given in tMs bulletin (p 9) 

 provision is made for room for a tliird Mve body to be added in tlie spring 



struction of the case should be such that it may be taken apart and 

 put together easily. The parts of various cases used in one series of 

 apiaries should be interchangeable. The authors have refrained in 

 the past from giving explicit directions for making a winter pack- 

 ing case for fear that some beekeepers might think that there rtay 

 be peculiar virtue in the case used and recommended by the depart- 

 ment (fig. 2). So many beekeepers, however, have written for exact 

 dimensions for making the case used in the apiary of the Bureau of 

 Entomology that it is considered best to give these in this bulletin. 

 In order that protection adequate for bees in a climate such as 

 that of Washington may be provided, 4 inches of packing below the 

 bottom board, 6 inches on all sides, and at least 8 inches on top are 



