The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-11-20
Wintering Bees

OtuclS, Nv tui0 SsuAS'
whose bees have done we'll this sum.
mer, both in plus honey and in
crease, are waiting with anxious
hearts TO know il next spring will
find their bees all dead as has been
the case 30 often. We are sure tina,
where there is no disease it IS an
easy thing to winter bees without
the loss Of one colony. We speak
what We know in this matter. We
DO not dispute the testimony OF those
who shy bees have died OF disease
we know it is SO in some parts OF the
country, but in other pats the loss
sas caused by simplest natural caus
es; and what is called dysentary il
simply the natural focal matter bees
will always discharge when cold o.
unduly disturbed in the winter.
About September LIST We were
asked to examine twenty.one colo
MES of bees which a friend had
bought. We found every hive filled
with scaled honey IN every frame,
not o single cell Of brood in any
stage, nor any place TO put any. The
Weld Of honey from q field OF buck.
wheat near had been great, and the
bees in their eagerness had filed up
to the exclusion Of brood. Had the
hives been left in that condition. the
bees they contained would have died
a natural death by winter, and no
young ones Twin. there to supply
their places at the approach Of cold,
the cluster would have to be too
small for warmth, and would have
m iserably persisted. A large cluster
will eat away tho honey in the CEN
ter, and make comfortable space
for themselves. We are sure there
would have been dysentary in all
these hives had they not been help
ell. We extracted honey from them
all, and ~ a short time breeding had
commenced, and they will so into
winter with young bees and room to-
them to be comfortable.
Where there is no disease We say
it IS easy to winter bees. Give them
plenty OF honey, hut not too much
empty space TO cluster in, and koel
them dry as we'll as warm. For us
dry cellar is the best place. Others
find rooms above ground as good
In either place th y must havc emp
ty comb near the center; secure tina
IN any hive by taking out full frames
and substituting empty ones, or ex
tracing honey from o center comb
Be sure that there is room between
the bottom OF combs and the honey
board. Put bee quilt, piece OF oil
quilt. blanket or carpet over the to-
OF the frames, removing all honey
boards; 10 this at once, but leay
the bees on their summer stands Ill
til near the last of November. Thel
just after some good day, when tn
bees have taken . good flight, re
move them to the cellar or house
leave them in perfect darkness an
undis,urbed till spring. ALLOW
least twenty pounds OF honey to
hive wiatered in the cellar, weighing
the first Of November, and muc
more if left out Of doors. If bee
have not that amount, feed them
once, until they have-they do muc
better if ted while they can fly tree
". We think bee.kcepers have tail
ed 10 pay proper attention to seyera
important items in preparing bees 10
winter:
1st. They have allowed them I
remain too late out in the cold unit
the combs become frosty before pu,
ting them away.
2nd. They have chosen yer
cold instead of a warm time TO NOV
them.
Cd. They have allowed too niue
ventilation, and o draft through th
hive has made the bees uncomtorta
bic. This is prevented by the qnil
which secures warmth while nois, ur
passes through.
In these directions we have spoke
Of strong colonies. Smaller one
can be wintercd successfully a. Ho'
mer has told us, bat they need NOR
care and greater warmth. We wi
lear from Hormcr on this point i
| November next.
ELLEN S. UPPER.
| -Uomsstead.