20 PAEMERS' BULLETIN 1012. 



up of the colony strength, in the spring. None of these may be 

 omitted without reducing the colony strength in the spring, and, as 

 every good beekeeper Imows, it is the strong colonies which get the 

 maximum crop. 



MEASURES OF SUCCESS IN WINTERING. 



It is often difficult for a beekeeper to know whether he is winter 

 ing his bees as well as he should, for he may not have been able t^ 

 learn from reading or visiting other apiaries how well colonies may 

 be brought through the winter. The writers therefore have at- 

 tempted to give here a few measures which the beekeeper may apply 

 to his apiary, that he may be able to decide whether his m^tiiods of 

 wintering should be improved. 



1. When bees are adequately packed and protected from the wim"*^ 

 they are able to push out the dead bees as they die in winter. Thei 

 should never be an accumulation of dead bees on the bottom boar^ | 



2. A colony of full strength will have 12 Langstroth frames filMa 

 with brood by the time that the bees should be unpacked. The beK 

 should not be taken from their cases until it is necessary to handk 

 them, and if two hive bodies have been given each colony, unpacking 

 mity be deferred until time for the control of swarming or until the 

 new honey is coming in freely. Sometimes it even happens that 

 colonies need a third hive as a swarm prevention mesjBure before it is 

 time to remove the packing, in which case it cp.n be given and the 

 packing replaced, at least around the sides of the third hive body. 

 Space for this is indicated in the dimensions given on page 9. 



3. A colony is not of proper strength for winter unless it has b^ 

 tween three and i<Mlt frames of brood two months before the tim ' 

 for putting on packing. Usually this will be six weeks before brooCg"" 

 rearing ceases. If there is less brood at that time it indicates eith 



that the queen is not good or that the colony has been weakened f roi ' 

 some other cause. If taken in time this condition may be remedie, 

 by adding brood or honey or by uniting. It is extravagant to %^ 

 tempt to winter weak colonies. t 



4. If a thermometer is inserted into the hive through title auge. 

 hole entrance at the time of the coldest weather in winter it should 

 show a temperature above the freezing point. At no time should the 

 temperature of any part of the hive go below freezing, and the point 

 just within the entrance is the most convenient one at which to take 

 the temperature readings. The lowest temperature obviously will 

 be at this point. 



