The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1868-02-05
For the Catiiz Sentinel
BE ES.
sf n. wILKIN, APISKfAE.


WEAK COLONIES SUFFER MOST FROM COLD.
Fnr though they may not freeze, q too
long rxnnsure to a low temperature pro-
duces dysintery; and bees ara Of such q
clPanly nature, thai when their bodies are
dis'Pnded with excrement that they can not
retain il, they will leave the hive to relieve
then b Ives. even al tha isk If parishing.
In this way colonies are sometimes depopu-
| 'stod in early spring, when they have been
| too damn in the winter, or have been thin<
" populated to keep up the necessary heat.
| Prurractrd tiampBess inside ot hive, pro.
| duces dysin'ery as it seems to sour the
honey and chill the bees. A colony u ut is
suffering with this disease, will generally
have the entrance, and sometimes most Of
the whole front Of the hive, dsubed with
rxcrrmpnt; end if they can not get out,
they wilt so smear the Combs, that death is
almost inevitable. This seems to be the
only disease that prevails amongst bees ex.
cept Foul Brood# - -
wINTERING.
On wintcring bees -uch a variety OF pIans
has been suggested that the Inexperienced
! Are puzzled to determine which is best. -
Some recommend hurying them IN grain,
hu,ying them in the earth, housing them
in a room, or keeping them in a cellar;
wbi!sr others maintain that il is more mats
! ural to leave them ort Of doors on their
stand. have, myself, rraetieed all OF
these plans, and doubt not that bees have
been wintered well on each Of them. But
| do not consider them all alike good; and
it would be Ms well to adopt the best plan
at once. What we wish to accomplish 10
to give comfort to our bees. Our cattle,
sheep and bees may all winter in the open
air, If they are strong and vigorous and
have plenty of !ood; but they will surely
al winter more comfortably, and eat less
food If somewhat projected. Some wish
| to keep their hres in dormant condition,
during Ii weather, like other insects. and
| thus lessen the consumption OF honey
! When the beekeepcr ,ucceeris in supplying
| his hets $ by cold. tor Il short time, he will
sud "nly arrive to the unhappy conscious
nasS that they are past recovery Bees are
different from most other insects IN this,
that they live in families and cluster to-
gether 70 economze heat in winter, besides
being prepared at all times to defend their
stores and their young. Out Of door win
tering j. subject 10 the difficulties arising
from external cold; and the bright lights
and moderate heat inducing tho bees to dy
out when the weather is yet so cold as to
chill them. Besides the ground around 10
so wet that they may perish nit; and when
fresh snow has fallen and ,s YET light, bees
will alght upon it, ard sinking in 1t will
perish. However, if the snow has crust
on it. or has become compact, bees will rise
from it az easilv as from dry ground. At
this present writing. December IS. 1867, l
donbt not there are many colonies OF bees
smothering t. death bv the rain and snow
having trozen closely around the bottom
aud entrance of hives, making them air.
tight. 1t is not an unireq tent occurrence,
HAT the pxhal1'ins from the 'ces runs
down 'he inside of the hive and freezing on
rhe lower edges makes them alrtight and
smnfhprs the bees.
Some of the difficulties 10 bs en"ountcr>
ed hv in door wintering. are~-keeplng them
confined too long from water aud from
emp'ying themselves; altho gh they will
Suff r. but fittln from the first Of December
until tn first of March. IT they are kept
in damp cellar, or buried in damp ground,
the combs will mould and the honey sour
and disease the bees.
VENTILATION.
In whatever manner bees are wntered,
care must he taken that they have air. and
are kept dry. If any one doubts whether
bees can br smothered, let him confne
swarm in an alright box lor an hour, and
shake them occasionally to keep them ae-
tive, and he will hni his bees all dead and
az moist a. though they had been dienched
in water. In hot weather whilst transport
ing strong colony Of bees, nothing less
than whole side or end of common sized
hive covered with loosely woven cloth or
wire gauzo is sufficient to secure colony
from snotherng;+ vet when bees are still
and cool in the dak, they require but little
air. This is evidenced by the fact, as per.
sons Of credihiiity have informed me. that
having attempted to smother colony Of
bees in the Fall of The wear by burying
han in chip yard, after taking al IF
their honey. In the Spring on digging up
the chips they have found living bees. I
have buried several COLONIES of them to.
g4thrr in the ground, in dry place, cover
ing them first with boards. then with lay
er If straw or fiddler, then with ten inches
Of clay. leaving plenty of openings in the
hives and having large tube run up
through the top to give upward ventilation;
hut in tins case "a in damp cellars. the
combs are inclined to mould; and bling so
very closely confined they become unhealthy
and after being set out !" the Spring.
CoNTINU D.