The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-12-15
FARMERS COLUMN.
WINTERING BEES,

It is settled beyond doubt in my owl
mind, by the experience of Others as re
lated in the Bee Journal, and by my OWL
experience for several Years in the apiary
that bees to winter we'll must have s1f
fcient ventilation to carry off the exccs
sive moisture which accnmulates in well
atoclxed hives. This moisture arises
partly from the exhalatlons from the
budles of the bees, but mostly, think,
from the surrounding atmosphere, which
constantly holds in susp, nse greater tr
less amount Of moisture, according as its
temperature Is higher or lower. The
warm atmosphere of the hive is capable
of holding a considerable quantity, until
it is condensed by coming In contact
with the cold wallis of The hive, at som
distance from the cluster eff bees. There
it condenses, first into minute drops oil
moisture. and afterwards, If the cold in
creases. into frost, The constant accu-
mutation of the quantity, by repeated
th,wing and freezing in hive that has no
efficient means OF ventilation, gradually
encroaches on the space occupied by the
bees, finally reaching those on the outside
q the cluster. These grow benumbed,
cease to eat, lose their vitality, grow cold,
the frost forms on their bodies and they
die where they stand. The frost con-
tinues to penetrate the cluster, If thel
cold weather is prolonged, until hnally
the last bee dies covered with frost. The
warm DAYS of spring then melts this frost,
and, on examination. the whole mass OF
bees are found dead, and as wet as It'll
iuat dipped from a basin of water.
L - I1rE ct
sprlnp. The entrance to this hive wasI
left open but he honey board was left IN
tight, without any upward ventilation,
as an experiment. ALI my other colonies
wintered well on their summer stands,
having their entrances open three or four
inches wide. and the front anu rear open
ings in the honey boards (nalf an inch
wide, and extending the whole length OF
the hive) uncovered but the middle open
ing closed. ;,
For the coming winter have adopie
Mr.. Langstroth's plan with some moditica-
tions. | shall omit the outside covering
of the hive, believing that it is better t.,
have the hive of single thickness Of
board, say Seven-cigths Of an inch, IN
order that the heat of the sun may easily
penetrate it, aud warm up the hive
almost daily, thus giving the bees an
opportunity to bring to the central part
of the hive fresh supplies of food from
the outer combs. This plan may lead to
q somewhat greater consumption or
honey but if swarm of bees Will give
its owner from fifty to one hundred
pounds of surplus honey in season, as
mine have done the past summer, he
ought to be entirely willing to have
them eat all they need during the winter.
At all events one oftwo things must be
done to winter bees success fully, III
addition to their having supply of food
and thorough ventllstion-they must
either be kept in repository where
frost cannot enter, as = celler, trench, ice
house, or the like or they must be put
where the sun can warm them up occa,
sionally.
nave removed all the honey boards
placed two one-half or three-quarter inch
strips across the frames, and covered the
whole top of the frames with any old
wooden garments that could be found In
the houses These need no cutting and
fitting. Pack them in Is you would pack
trunk, Ithe roof or cover of my top box
is movable, and like it much bet or than
the old plan of having it nailed on,) two,
three, or half dozen thicknesses will
make no difference. The moisture will
pass through as readily as the insesible
. aspiration of our bodies will pasa
through our bed covering. I
The hives will remain dry and the bees
warm. have no fear of losing a single
swArm the coming winter, although seve-
raj new ones which bought are quite
weak, owing to the sudden close of the
honey hsrvfs st month earlier than last
year in nsequence of the drought.-R
BIcKToRD, IN Bee Journat Il