Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-06-14
AGRICULTURAL.

NOVEL PLAN FOR WNTERING BEEs.-
Choose any soil that Is little descending
and net under wster IN the spring. Plow
with corn plow furrows the width OF the
hives, as long rows as you need. Throw
out the earth ON both sides, making the
ditch or trench four or five inches deep.
except the lower end, which will be nearly
on the surface. Put any kind OF boards In
the bottom of the french, then fill the
trench with long rye straw Place Il as
you would TO thatch, commencing at the
deep end of the trench. Place 3x4 or 2xS
joists on the straw against the outside of
the trench. Now place the hives on the
joists, close together, with caps removed,
, lso the honeybosrd or canvas. and place
cotton quilts o. mats over frames. Place
the long straw on the top, commencing at
the lower end, four or five inches thick,
letting the straw project over the end hives
two feet. Stand SHAW on the 5utt-end
against the hives, on each side and ends,
four OF five inches thick. Now place
boards ten or twelve inches wide slantlng
against the straw and hives on both sides
To form roof, nail together boards ten or
twelve feet long the width of hives, thus:
Bend the straw standing upright over top of
the hives, and this roof holds 1t down and
leaves 4 space over the frames on top filed
as well as at the bottom of the hives. IL
row of hives requires more than one length
Of roof, where they come together pull
out some OF the straw that lies on top of
the frames, right and left, about four
inches In diameter. Bind tins aud then
crowd he roofs together as close as the
straw Will admit. Bind the straw 10 q
cohe or TO resemble the nuZze of Bing-
ham smoker. Place short pieces of boards
slanting at the ends of the hives under the
ends of the roof and straw that lies on top
of The frames. Cover the whole with
earth from three inches at ridge to four or
SIX inches at base. Now we have mound
say forty feet long, with the straw and
boards Of the bottom projecting some two
feet beyond TO carry off any water that
may collect, and at top of ridge three per-
pendicular straw ventllaiors, and a hori-
zontal one al each end. By the earth be-
ing removed from each size TO cover the
bees, the trench under the bees will be the
highest, ard to keep it dry plow furrow
10 drain of any water that may collect
Thus they remain quiet, not being distur-
bed or affected by the heat or cold until
the naples look red or they can find pol
len; then remove them at night in their
summer stGnds. Ihls mode Of wintering
is No new thing. Ii has been tried sue
cessiully for number of years. The most
of oHr hives have loose bottoms, SO that
The bees come in contact with the straw
under them. formerly wintered In the
cellar. II | have choice colonies and want
to Kill them without brimslone put them
there, and when opportunity offers carry
them out for fly and return them, each
time many bees less. Being confined, and
more or less disturbed, they become unea-
sy, ana when they are put on their SUM-
n4er stands they ale weak, exhausted, and
soen perish, and by the first of June they
are eli gone. / have been tIgging in ard
out all winter and gained my object, but,
by wsy OF excuse, term it ''spIing dwind-
Ing"