Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-12-03
For the VERMONT FARMER,
Wintering Bees.

DutunB tuo IuSt tntee oI lOuT years very
heavy losses have been sustained by the bee
keepers Of northern United States in winter
ing their bees. Whether these losses have
occurred in consequence of the introduction
Of the movable comb hives or the Italian
race Of bees, the severity Of our winters or
a deterioration of the quality Of honey, or
from other causes, do not now wish to dis
cuss. Certain it is that in many sections it
is found much more difficult to winter bees
successfully than formerly. While this
difficulty in wintering has been q present
disadvantage, it has led our most intelligent
bee-keepers to carefully investigate the whole
subject and more light has been thrown upon
it than ever before.
As the temperature lowers in autumn u
colony Of bees draw closely together to main.
tain sufficiently warm temperature among
themselves. They eat the honey adjoining
or next TO the cluster to sustain life and
and heat. This honey is digested in the
stomach of the bee, and after having served
its purpose, the liquid portion of the waste
passes from the bees in the form OF perspira-
ton while the solid matter is retained in the
abdomen Of the bee until spring or the frat
opportunity for fight.
If the hive is tight, the moisture oOudsnses
on the cold walls of the hive and the comb,
and if the hive is out of doors, frequently
covers the comb with ice and the bees
starve with honey enough to last till spring
or If the hive is kept warm it will be 30
damp that the comb will mould and become
worthless. Again if the cluster Of bees is
too small to generate sufficient amount Of
heat, or if the honey is very thin and wa
tery, the bees seem unable properly to digest
and assimilate it, and rid themselves Of the
surperHuous moisture until their abdomens
become swollen and they become diseased
and soil their combs and hive with focal
matter and sOoa dwiude away until the
colony is dead or SO depopulatod as to be
worthless.
If they are frequently disturbed they are
apt to gorge themselves with honey and be-
come unhealthy. From the foregoing ex-
plantations will be seen the reason for fur
nishing every hive with good thick honey.
Firstly, if any hive has not sufficient,
let it be fed as early as August, and sealed
before cold weather, as unsealed honey will
soon absorb moisture and become thin and
unfit for food.
Secondly, let the colony be Of good size as
such colonies can successfully resist the cold.
Better put two weak ones together than try
to winter separately unless you have a very
warm dry cellar.
Thirdly, keep the inside of the hive rs
dry as possible. II your bees are in box
hives let all the holes into the chamber be
open, Better yet, place over them some
refuse wool or woolen cloths, which will re-
tain the heat while the moisture escapes.
If in movable comb hives, let the honey
board be removed and light straw mat take
its place, or old wOOlen garments, or old
carpeting, or two thicknesses Of Gotten with a
little dry chat or saWduSt. These substau-
ces allow the moisture to escape while they
retain the heat. The summer entrance
should be left open, only so arrange it that
mice cannot entor.
Fourthly, the proper temperature. II
hives remain out Of doors, the warmer you
make them, the better, provided they are
kept dry. If in the Oeller let it be perfectly
dark aud as dry as possible and as warm as
the bees will bear. If too warm the bees
become restless and consume more honey
than for their good from thirty-hvs TO forty
degrees will do. Damp cellars can bO made
more dry by setting on the floor number Of
dishes partly filled with salt. The salt will
absorb the moisture from the air aud you
can turn it from the dishes ia the form Of
brine.
Filthy, keep the bees quiet and not dis
turd them oftener than necessary during win.
ter. Let them rest till the warm spring
days.
In short, keep the bees warm, dry, and
quiet. l have limited at the way. Use your
own judgment ]. &c.
DR. Henry BOyntOn of Woodstock shipped
100 merinO bucks to Texas on Tuesday, the