February, ’20] MERRILL: WINTER PROTECTION for bees 
101 
the year. Daily readings are taken throughout the year of the weights 
of the various hives, and all changes in weight recorded each day. In 
order to determine the amount of honey that is in each hive, and the 
number of bees present, a general weighing of the colonies is made in 
the fall on the date that the bees are put into winter quarters. On 
the day that the honey-flow starts, another general weighing is made, 
to determine the number of bees which have passed through the winter 
and results of both the spring and the fall weighing are compared to 
secure the data desired. Briefly, the method of weighing is as 
follows: 
Each colony is weighed early in the morning before any of the bees 
emerge. Next the weight of the hives without the frames is ascer¬ 
tained, and the weight of the frames with honey. From the weight of 
the frames of honey is deducted the weight of the empty frames, giving 
the amount of honey which is in the colony. We then know the weight 
of the hive, and also the combined weight of the hive and honey. 
This total, when subtracted from the weight of the hive, honey, and 
bees, gives the weight of the bees. Precautions are taken in recording 
these weights to prevent the bees from filling up with honey, thus mak¬ 
ing, according to the figures, a larger number of bees and smaller 
amount of honey than really exists in the hive. The process of weigh¬ 
ing these colonies is rather complicated, usually requiring from three 
to four persons a whole day in order to weigh the six colonies in the 
experiment. 
The number of bees in a pound has been variously estimated, but 
for the purpose of this experiment we assume that there are 5,000 bees 
in every pound. If this number is adhered to throughout the experi¬ 
ment, it will be as fair to one colony as to another. As stated above, 
the weight is recorded each day from each one of these hives through¬ 
out the year. In addition to these, the record of the temperature, the 
direction of the wind, and the strength of the wind for each day is also 
recorded in order that we may have an opportunity to learn what 
effect climatic changes have on the wintering of the bees. These 
colonies are brought as nearly as possible up to the same strength in 
bees and honey. The queens used in them are all from the same 
stock, purchased from a reliable queen breeder, and introduced into 
the colonies on the same day. Each colony is requeened during the 
month of August in order to insure a young queen to carry on the duty 
of the hive. The weighing which is conducted in the spring shows 
whether or not there has been an increase in the number of bees during 
the winter. It is considered that the form of wintering which produces 
the largest number of bees in the hive on the day that the honey-flow 
starts is the most successful method of wintering. 
