PEEPAEATION" OF BEES FOE OTTTBOOE, WIKTEEIH"G. 



11 



« 



for keeping alignment at the outer edge is discussed under "The en- 

 trance" (p. 18). 



SINGLE OE DOUBLE CASES. 



For those having only a few colonies, it is not always convenient 

 to build cases for colonies in groups of four. It is not necessary to 

 give dimensions in detail for those having a few colonies, however, 

 for they will usually wish to use whatever they have at hand. It is 

 often possible to arrange a heavy wooden box, such as those used for 

 shipping dry goods (fig. 4) , so as to make a winter case for one colony 

 which will answer every purpose. It is, of course, necessary that the 

 salient feature of a good winter case be preserved. If the arrange- 

 ment of the apiary makes it inconvenient to have the colonies in 



Fig 4 — An improvised winter case for one colony, 



groups of four throughout the year, it is quite possible to make good 

 cases for two colonies. Anything other than the four-colony case, 

 however, will probably cost more per colony, or if too many colonies 

 are put into larger cases there may be trouble from other causes, as 

 from drifting. 



ARRANGEMENT WITHIN THE HIVE. 



CAPACITY OF THE WINTEE HIVE. 



As has been pointed out, bees need room for breeding in the fall and 

 again in the spring. During the winter season there is no brood- 

 rearing in normal colonies which are adequately protected, and room 

 for breeding therefore is not essential during the winter. If the bees 

 are to have room for the proper development of colony strength, 

 however, they should have two hive bodies each of 10-f rame Langs- 

 troth size by about the beginning of April in most parts of the 

 country, and earlier in the South. In order that it may be unneces- 

 sary to open colonies during a period of such unsettled weather as 

 obtains at this season, it is advised that the room for breeding be pro- 

 vided in the fall and left with the bees all winter. To make this a 



