The Care of Bees in Winter 
351 
shavings because it holds water and thereby becomes a 
poorer non-conductor. Tunnels through the packing pro¬ 
vide entrances to the hives and the roof should be water 
tight to prevent the packing from becoming wet from rain 
or snow. This method of packing is used with excellent 
results in many northern apiaries in the United States and 
Canada. Packing may also be applied to each colony (Fig. 
142) or to a row of hives in a variety of ways to suit the 
convenience of the beekeeper. 
To secure the most favorable conditions, each strong col¬ 
ony may be given two hive-bodies well supplied with stores 
and then if four colonies are packed together in a large box 
as described above we have as nearly ideal conditions as 
may be obtained in the open. The beekeeper may rest 
assured that the labor involved in thoroughly packing his 
colonies and in furnishing abundant stores will be repaid 
many fold. 
Colonies wintered outdoors should be provided with pack¬ 
ing early. While the temperatures of autumn nights are 
not so low as to endanger the bees, still the heat which must 
be generated in an unpacked hive is an unnecessary drain 
on the vitality and stores of the colony and for the average 
northern apiary it is desirable that the colonies be packed 
early in October. Similarly, the packing should not be 
removed too early. When frequent examinations of the 
colony become necessary, the temporary packing around the 
hives becomes bothersome, but it is best to leave it on so 
long as it does not interfere with the work of the apiary. 
Where heavy outside packing is needed, the packing may 
usually be kept on until some time in May. 
To reduce convection currents a tall hive is to be preferred 
in winter. For summer manipulations the majority ol 
American beekeepers prefer a hive not deeper than the 
Langstroth, which is rather shallow for best results in winter. 
This may be overcome by giving each strong colony two 
hive-bodies, the top one being well filled with stores. If 
such a hive is well packed it is highly satisfactory. 
