WINTERING BEES. 
107 
WINTERING IN THE OPEN AIR. 
In October, the. exact condition of all the stocks should be 
ascertained, both as to their strength, and their supply of stores 
for winter. If any are found lacking in both these points, join 
two together, or strengthen them with bees obtained from neigh- 
bors, (page 88,) and supply them with extra food. To en- 
sure the safety of the stocks, till flowers bloom in spring, each 
should have twenty-five pounds of honey. With a little prac- 
tice, the amount of stores may be very nearly determined lay 
inspection, or simply by removing the cap and lifting the hive 
from the stand. However, if the combs are more than one year 
old, there is much liability of being deceived, when judging by 
lifting or weighing the hive. The reasons are, that old combs 
are heavier than new, and often contain large quantities of bee- 
bread. Still, the experienced bee-keeper will seldom err in his 
estimate of winter supplies. Should any lack stores, give them 
reserved frames of sealed honey, or if this cannot be done, and 
other stocks are very heavy, exchange a frame with each. If 
the lower part of such combs are empty, they may be placed 
uear the centre of the needy stocks, as there should be honey 
directly above the bees ; but if full, place them a little to one 
side of the cluster, for the reason that bees need empty cells to 
winter in. The comb in each frame should have an inch hole 
cut through it, four or five inches from the top, to enable the 
bees, in extreme cold weather, to reach the stores in the outside 
combs without danger of freezing, by leaving the cluster to 
crawl around the edge of the frame. 
