Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-04-13
AMONG THE FARMERS.
"sPHED TIE rLow."
Wintering Bees.
(F. l.. Mason. Mechanic Falls.)


Unfortunately the average bsekeepe
considers that his beekseping year close
when he removes that honey the latte
part OF July. Too often there Is NJ
honey to remove, and the discouraged
beekeeper hesitstes to give time anC
attention to an Improbable venture
Could he come to realizs that the 1922
honey producing year begins In the lat
ter part of July, 1920, he would find hi,
efficiency as q honey-producer doubled
The honey crop is 80 largely dependent
upon the condition In which bees arr
wintered, that, although We may not say
that good wintering guarantees q good
honey crop, We may with certainty cay
that poor wintering guarantees q pool
honey crop.
Strong colonies, abundant stores O!
good quality ample breeding room, and
sufficient protection from the cold are
the essentials OF good wintering. Con-
slider these essentials as q chain of four
links. The strength of chain is deter
mined by the strength of its weakest
link. lt is the same with wintering.
Improper attention to any essential may
jeopardize the success of the whole pro-
cedure.
Strong colonies are secured by the
introduction of young, prolific queen
and by uniting. Requeening should be
an established process, and should be
done Immediately after removing the
honey. Do not hesitate to discard q
queen that has done good work. Since
che life of queen depends upon the
number of eggs laid, it is very likely
that your best queen this season is least
fitted to lead your strongest colony next.
A queen should not be depended upon
for more than two seasons. Consider
carefully before you give the price Of
queens as reason for not requeening
Four pounds of comb honey in our city
markets will buy very good queen, and
this Is as chesply as queens have been
bought in several years. The minimum
strength of q colony which II is profit
able TO winter is difficult to determine
but any colony not having three frames
of brood, Lsngstroth size, at the time
when honey is removed, should be
marked for uniting.
Colonies should have a minimum of
" POoaNS oA os0Aco VI SOSu Qudilby avail
able, in addition to any honey gathered
in early spring. Bees wintered outdoors
should have these stores with them at
time Of packing. Those wintered In
cellar should have from Is to 20 pounds
in hive and remainder at hand for spring
feeding. The fall honey flow In this
state 10 generally considered good quail
ity for wintering. Occasionally honey
dew is gathered. This should be re-
moved.
A cover, bottom, and two hive bodies
should be considered hive for one COL
ony Of bees instead of one body. Two
bodies should be with bees during fall,
and during the winter with bees win
tered outdoors as storage space. For
cellar wintering it may be removed after
brood rearing and returned early In
spring.
For outdoor wintering bees should
have four inches bottom packing, eight
inches on the walls, and twelve inches
on top. Bees should be packed Sept.
Is and unpacked June /. A cellar for
bees should have inner roof below frost
line, and temperature of approximate
500 should be maintained. Bees should
be placed in cellar early in Novem Der,
and removed when red naples are in
bloom.