Mountain Home bulletin. (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1888-1889, 1888-10-27
UPWARD VENTILATION.
Instructive Notes On the wiutcr MANAGE
ment OF Becs.

suent OF Bees.
A great deal has been said about
bees wintering without upward ventila-
tion, and quite number Of bee-keep-
ers claim that they winter better with
out any upward ventilation, saying:
bees in their natural state-in the trees
of the forest-have no ventilation and
winter well, and seem TO do much bet
ter than those having the best OF venti-
lation. We have found many wild
swarms in the last thirty years in many
kinds of trees, and in nearly every in !
stance we found, either above or on the
sides OF the swarm. rotten wood which
the perspiration from the bees could
pass into, acting the same as upward
ventilation. Some parties claim that
they winter bees safely without upward
ventilation, and that it is the proper
way. II they will invert their hives
and pour water into them it will run
out, therefore they are not air tight, for
where water will run through air will
escape.
1t is true, II bees are kept in perfect
ly dry place and at temperature Of
from forty-tive to fifty degrees, they re-
quire much less ventilation than they
would If kept in a damp, cold place. II
bees are kept where it is continually
freezing and there is no place in the hive
for the escape Of the perspiration that
passes from the bees, it will commence
to freeze on the outside of the hive and
II 1t continues cold you will find your
bees dead and ice formed all around the
: cluster of bees. Had there been small
J opening at the top or near the top of the
hive, for the air to escape, there would
, nothing of the kind have happened.
: 1t only needs very little upward
ventilation for bees; good many bee
} keepers give altogether too much.
They need all the heat in the inter
and spring months that can be obtain
. ed. Give only what will be necessary
y to let the perspiration out so the hive
Y will not become damp on the inside. Il
: is a good plan to leave the bottom
K board off, or raise it up on blocks one
inch when wintering, especially in eel
lars, as the foul air always settles, ant
If the hive is raised it gives a chance
e for it to escape; and II there is any
dampness in the winter depository i
will prevent the combs from molding
D The heat and circulation OF the cluste
: Of bees render the combs dry for SOM
; distance around the cluster, but there i
y not enough OF this circulation of al
y nor force to drive it to all parts of tn
20 brood chamber, and part-often
e very large part-Of the comb that |
e damp with moisture extends up at tn
= sides OF the cluster to the top bees
= This moisture gets into the honey an
= causes it too sour; and as the foul al
X is impure gas rises on top of the broo
chamber. making the bees uneasy an
y they begin to move about, use the sou
q honey (Which causes dysentery), an
the destruction of the colonies ensue.
B. We are safe in saying that colony {
y bees never was known to have TIL
a dysentery when the honey and CONT
lie were kept perfectly dry.
N Those that winter their bees withol
N proper ventilation are often heard
lr complain that their bees got restles
lie and uneasy from being too warm. M
experience has proven that it is not I'll
ld warmth, but the fumes OF the Sol
st honey arising below and accumulatin
ID in the upper portions Of the broc
chamber that makes them uneasy, ar
" the removal of the tight cover on top
le the hive at such time will convin'
s. any person that proper ventilation
lg necessary to the health of the colony
IN EHr,n Stock and Home