Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-12-22
GieI6 att6 Gaedttt,
Wiyer;nr Bees.

It is settled beyond a doubt in my !
own mind, by the experience Of OIL.
ers. as related in the Bee JOurR6r |
and by n,v own experience for several
years in the apiary, that bees to Win.
ter well must have sufficient ventila-
ton to carry off the excessive moist
ure which accumulate in we'll stocked
hives. This moisture arises partly
from the exhalatiUns from the bodies 4
of the bees, but mostly, | think, from
the surrounding atmosphere, which
constantly holds in suspense a greater
or. less amount Of moisture, according
as its temperature is higher or lower.
The warm atmosphere of the hives
is capable of holding considerable
quantity, until it is condensed by
coming in contact with the cold walls
Of the hive, at some distance from
the cluster of bees. There it conden>
scs, first into minute drops of moist
ure. and afterwards, If the cod in
creases. into frost. The constant &C
cumulation Of the quantity, by re'
peated thawing and freezing in hive
that has no efficient means of ventila-
ton, gradually cncroaches on the
space occupied by the bees, finally
reaching those on the outside OF the
cluster. These grew benulEbed, cease
to eat, lose their vitality, grow COD,
Tie frost forms or their bodies, and
they die where they stand. The frost
continues to penetrate the cluster, II
the cold weather is prolonged, until
finally the bees die covered with fros:.
The warm days of Spring then melt
this frost, and on examination, the
whole mass of bees are found dead
and wet as if just dipped from bas-
in ofwatcr. l found one hive in that
condition last Spring. The entrance
to this hive was left open. but the
honey board was left on tight, with
out any upward ventilation, as an
experiment All my other colonies
wintcrcd we'll on their Summer
stands, having their entrances open
three or four inches wide. and the
front and rear openings in the honey
boards (half an inch wide, extending
the whole length Of the hive) uncov-
cred, but the middle opening closed.
For the coming. Winter | have
adopted Mr.. Langstroth's plan with
some notifications. shall omit
the outside covering of the hive. be-
lieving that it is better to have the
hive of a single thickness of board,
say seven-eigEts of an inch, in order
that the heat of the sun may easily
penetrate it and warm up the hive al
most daily thus giving the beess an
opportunity to bring to central part of
the hive fresh supplies of food from
the outer combs. This plan may
lead to a somewhat greater con-
sumption of honey; but if swarm bees
viii give its owners from fifty to one
hudred pounds of surplus honey in
4 season, as mine have done the past
Summer, he ought to be entirely will
ling to have them eat ash they need
during the Winter. At all events,
one of two things must be done, to
Winter bees successfully. in addition
to their having a supply of food and
thorough ventilation - they must
either be kept in repository where
frost cannot enter, as cellar, trench,
ice-house, or the like; or they must
be PUT where the SUI can warm them
up occasionally.
l have 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 woOllen garments that
could be found about the house,
These need no cutting or fitting
Pack them in as you would pack
trunk, two, three, or half dozen
tbicknesses will make no difference.
The moisture will pass through as
readily as the insensible perspiration
of our bodies will pass through our
bed covering. The hive will remain
dry and the bees warm