Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-11-12
Preparing for winter,

In most localities the month OF Sep
TENDER will end the secretion Of nectar
in the flowers for this season at least.
And, as successful wintering depends
largely on properly preparing the bees,
l shall recommend that preparation at
once, writes Geo. e. Hilton in Michi-
gan Farmer.
Perhaps some of them need no at
tention at all, some will be found with
insufficient stores, others will have
more than they really need, but in or
der to learn their condition we must
go through our apiaries and examine
each colony and make note OF their
condition. then If there is sufficient
honey in the yard to winter all or
to give each colony not less than 20
or 80 pounds, we must equalize by TAX
ing from the heavier and exchanging
combs with the lighter, thus equaliz-
ing them: but should there not be
honey enough in the yard then we
must feed. The above estimate think
Will hold good for either outdoor or cell
lar winterlng; 1t lie claimed that bees
consume less stores wintered in cellar
than those wintered on summer stands.
This may in a measure be true while
they are in the cellar, but 1t is just as
true that they consume more stores
during the spring months and change
able weather than those protected in
the double-walled hives, making one
Just about Offset the other In case /
ind myself compelled to feed, and l
usually prepare for this emergency, I
prefer to feed by removing combs that
have little or no honey in them and
replace with combs we'll filled and
capped over in the earlier part of the
season. In the absence Of these my
next choice is extracted honey. In
the absence Of both we must resort to
sugar syrup, and while bees winter we'll
on syrup made from pure granulated
or confectioner's sugar, l prefer the
honey, but in feeding either we must
resort to some kind of feeder, espe-
cially II the bottoms of our hives are
not perfectly tight. For winter feeding
or rather feeding for winter l know
OF no feeder like as we'll as the mil
Ter Feeder" this 10 about the size Of
your comb honey super and is set upon
the hive in the same manner. The
bees 80 directly from the center Of the
brood nest into 1t and 1t is so arranged
that the bees cannot get above 1t or
daub themselves with the feed. After
determining the amount the colony
needs one Of these can be set on and
the required amount poured in at one
feeding, as 1t will hold thirty pounds
OF honey or syrup. AS my hives all
have tight bottoms, frequently raise
the front Of the hive two or three
inches and just before dark pour in
at the back end of the brood nest three
or four pounds at a time. AS this
Will all be stored in the combs and
everything cleaned up before morning,
there is no danger of robbing. Should
the honey thus fed be very thick l
should thin 1t with a little hot wa
ter, as the bees can handle it much
better and faster If it is thin and a
little warm. In preparing sugar syrup
make 1t just as it is made for table
use, being very careful not to burn It
or 1t will surely kill the bees. Don't
put off this feeding until too late, as 1t
Is very essential that the bees Ehould
have time to thoroughly ripen and cap
1t over. After your feeding is done
remove everything of a non-porous
character and place next to the bees
something that will allow the moisture
to pass off. A piece of wooden blan-
ket, piece Of old but clean carpet or
even piece of burlap will answer
nicely. Then put on a cushion or nil
low filled with clean wheat chaff or
cut straw and leave them thoroughly
alone until next spring and you need
have no more fears of their wintering
we'll than Of flock of sheep that are
given proper attention. If you winter
in the cellar treat them in the same
manner and leave the hive cover of
Put them in the cellar between Nov
LIST and 18th and all will be well.