St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-11-03
UPWARD VENTILATION.

A great deal has been said about
bees wintering without upward ventila-
ton. 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, ahd In nearly every in
stance We found, either above or on the
sides OF the swarm. rotten wood which
tho perspiration from the bees could
pass into, acting the same a. upward
ventilation. Some parties claim that
they winter bees safely without upward
ventilation, and that II il 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 viii
escape. ~..-..-.,..- -..s.g
1t Is true, IL bees are kept in . perfect
ly dry place and at q temperature Of
from forty-fve TO 6fty degrees, they re-
quire much less ventilation than they
would II kept in damp. cold place. IT,
bees are kept where Il Il continaAlly
freezing and there is no place In the hive
for the escape Of the perspiration that
passes from the bees. Il win commence
to freess on the outside Of the hive. and
II it continues cold you will hnd your
bees dead and ice formed all around the
claster Of bees Had there boaa asmall
opening at the top or near the top Of the
hive, for the airto sRpe. there would
nothing OF the kind have happened.
It only needs very little upward
ventilation for bees; . good many bee-
keepers give altogether too much.
They need al the heat n the winter
and spring months that ean b obtain
ed. Give only what win BE- necessary
to lei the Precipitation out 20 the hive
will not become damp on the inside It
is q good plan 70 leave the bottom
board OF, or raise II up on blocks one
inch when wintering. especially in oil
lars. rs the foul air always sattles, and
II tho hive Il raised Il gives chance
for it to escape; and II there 10 any
dampness in the winter depoait0ry Il
will prevent the combs IRON holding.
The heat and circulation q tho cluster
OF bees render the combs dry for soms
distance around the cluster. but there u
not enough Of this circulation Of cir
nor force TO drive II 70 I'll parts d the
brood chamber. and . paFt-olosa .
very large part-of the comb that =
damp with moisture extends up a& tAo
sides Of tho cluster 10 The tep b>es.
This moisture gets into the honey end
causes IL too sour; and - the foul air
is impure gas rises On top a TIE brood
chamber, making the bees uneasy and
they begin to move about, use the sour
honey (Which causes dysentery). and
the destruction Of the colonies ensaea
We are safe in saying that colony Of
bees never vas known 70 have The
dysentery when the honey and combs
wero kept perfectly dry. -,
Those that winter their bees without
proper ventilation are often heard 70
complain that their bees got restless
and uneasy from being too warm. Ny
experience has proven that Il d not the
warmth. but the fums9 Of ~ sour
honey arising below and accumulating
In the upper portions Of the brood
chamber that makes them uneasy, and
the removal Of the tight cover on top a
the hive It such . time viii convince
any person that proper vsutila&ioo =
pecessary 70 The hath a IL peaeuy.-
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