,transcriber ,note ,text emphasis denote by ,italics4 ,whole and fractional parts of numbers as #ce-e_/h4 ,illustration3 ,the ,preparation of ,,bees for ,,outdoor ,,wintering ,one of the most vital parts of the beekeeper's work is the preparation of bees for outdoor wintering4 ,no other phase of beekeeping has so direct an influence on the honey crop of the following season4 ,the apiary should be located in a protected place and the colonies should not be moved at the time of packing4 ,directions are given in this bulletin for the proper arrangement of the apiary to prevent confusion due to the shifting of hives4 ,the amount and character of the packing materials and the most economical type of packing cases are discussed4 ,a schedule of dates for packing and unpacking the hives is presented for all parts of the ,united ,states1 and the amount and character of winter stores are indicated4 ,it is important that none of the factors of good wintering be omitted1 and several tests are given so that the beekeeper may determine whether his bees are wintering properly4 ,contribution from the ,bureau of ,entomology ,l4 ,o4 ,,howard1 ,chief ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,september1 #aiah ,,the ,,preparation ,,of ,,bees ,,for ,,outdoor ,,wintering4 ,e4 ,f4 ,phillips1 ,apiculturist1 and ,george ,s4 ,demuth1 ,apicultural ,assistant4 ,,contents4 ,page4 ,the essentials to success #c ,necessity for strong colonies in the fall #d ,arrangement of the apiary #d ,insulation of the hive #f ,arrangement within the hive #aa ,winter schedule #ad ,winter stores #ah ,all the factors of good wintering are needed #ai ,measures of success in wintering #bj ,no problem confronting the beekeeper in most parts of the ,united ,states is of more importance than the proper wintering of bees1 yet it is one which is sadly neglected4 ,it is urged that before attempting to make packing cases for the wintering of bees the beekeeper study ,department ,bulletin #ic1 ,temperature of the ,honeybee ,cluster in ,winter1 and ,farmers' ,bulletin #fie1 ,outdoor ,wintering of ,bees4 ,,the ,,essentials ,,to ,,success4 ,the essentials to success in caring for a normal colony of bees from the end of one season's honey-flow to the beginning of the next lie in providing three things in abundance3 7#a7 ,stores of good quality1 7#b7 protection from wind and cold1 and 7#c7 room for the rearing of brood at appropriate times4 ,these factors are all of the greatest importance1 and an omission of any one of them may prevent completely the gathering of the honey crop of the following year1 and if any of the factors are given in less degree the honey crop invariably is reduced4 ,the importance of these essentials does not apply equally at all times from the end of one season to the beginning of the next1 but at some time they are all vitally essential2 and it is the purpose of this bulletin to show how all three may be given in the early fall1 so that1 without further handling1 the colonies will come through the spring with the maximum population4 ,if1 for example1 the room for breeding is not provided in the fall1 it becomes necessary to handle the colony early in the spring1 and this may be detrimental4 ,similarly1 it is the practice of some beekeepers to add to the stores of the colony in the spring1 rather than to leave enough in the fall to last until new honey comes in4 ,this is dangerous for two reasons3 ,too often the stores are not given on time or in adequate quantity1 and frequently they can not be given without exposing the colony too greatly4 ,it is therefore the best practice by far to provide all of these factors in the fall1 and no other methods are so safe and certain of success4 ,by practicing the methods here given the enormous annual loss of colonies in winter may be almost entirely eliminated1 and1 what is more important1 much stronger colonies may be obtained for the early sources of honey4 ,,necessity ,,for ,,strong ,,colonies ,,in ,,the ,,fall4 ,a common cause of loss is through attempting to winter colonies that are too small4 ,it is somewhat difficult to set a standard for colony strength at this season1 but in general it may be stated that it is unwise to attempt to winter colonies that are not strong enough to have brood sufficient to fill three to four ,langstroth frames two months before the packing is applied4 ,if the colonies in the apiary are not of the proper strength it is wise to unite until the proper strength is reached4 ,any uniting should be done at least two weeks before packing4 ,there is a tendency in some localities for colonies to weaken rapidly in early fall1 due to the nature of the honey-flow from fall flowers4 ,to some degree this may be offset by putting on the packing earlier than otherwise would be necessary4 ,it is highly important that each colony have a vigorous queen in order that brood-rearing may continue in the fall and may proceed rapidly in the spring4 ,with colonies such as are obtained by the methods here described it is not desirable to keep queens more than two years and it is preferable to requeen the entire apiary every season4 ,to get the best results in requeening all young queens should be introduced so that they will begin laying two months before packing4 ,it will be found that queens wear out more rapidly in the unusually strong colonies obtained by the methods of wintering here described1 but every good beekeeper realizes that it is these enormous colonies which get the greatest crops4 ,,arrangement ,,of ,,the ,,apiary4 ,,wind ,,protection4 ,it is of the greatest importance that the apiary be located where the wind in winter is virtually eliminated4 ,a grove of trees or an adjacent hill usually offers the best protection1 or it is possible to make an artificial windbreak such as a high fence4 ,a natural windbreak usually is better1 for it is more extensive in most cases4 ,it has been found by the authors that if a wind of #bj miles an hour blows on the winter packing cases for a few hours the temperature of the inside of the packed hive may be greatly reduced and may even fall as low as that of an unpacked hive4 ,too much reliance should not be placed in buildings as windbreaks1 for they often serve simply to divert the wind slightly and may even make conditions worse4 ,a fence made of close boards usually is unsatisfactory for it causes whirls that may destroy many colonies4 ,a heavy blanket of snow serves to reduce the effect of the wind4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #a4--;,colonies of bees in summer position in groups of four4 ,this arrangement is advantageous whether or not the bees are wintered in four-colony packing cases4 ,,arrangement ,,of ,,the ,,hives4 ,in arranging the hives in an apiary it is necessary to take into account the method of wintering to be followed4 ,if the bees are to be wintered in the four-colony cases to be described later the hives should be kept in groups of four all the season 7fig4 #a71 for if colonies are moved more than a foot just before packing and then moved again as they are unpacked there is a considerable amount of drifting--that is1 bees from some colonies join other colonies during flight1 and the result is an actual reduction of the number of colonies and of bees in the apiary4 ,a failure to keep the colonies properly arranged for their winter stands during the entire summer is a common cause of failure in using the four-colony cases4 ,whatever type of case is used for outdoor wintering1 the bees should occupy the same place during the entire year4 ,since the outside of the winter case is quite different an appearance from the hives the bees often are somewhat confused4 ,to prevent drifting from this cause it is a good plan to set a large stake between the two entrances on each end of the four-colony winter cases2 this will serve to help the bees in orienting themselves during flights in winter and especially in spring4 ,if it is possible to plant some shrubbery among the hives it is a good plan to have the plants arranged so that they will act as markers for the bees during these early flights 7fig4 #c74 ,they will not be amiss during the summer1 and1 if properly placed1 they need not interfere with movement through the apiary during the summer's work1 while they add to its attractiveness4 ,,insulation ,,of ,,the ,,hive4 ,,amount ,,of ,,packing ,,needed4 ,it is impossible to insulate bees too heavily during the winter4 ,it is obvious1 however1 that the beekeeper will not want to put on more packing than is practically necessary4 ,for a climate such as that of ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 it is found desirable to provide #d inches of packing underneath the hives1 #f inches on all sides1 and #h or more inches on top4 ,in warmer climates less will be needed1 but the beekeeper must not think that simply because he lives south of ,washington he can be safe with less packing or none at all4 ,there are many places farther south than ,washington where more packing is needed1 and there are1 indeed1 few places except along the ,gulf or in southern ,california where less may be used if the best results are to be obtained4 ,for more northern localities more protection is needed4 ,the amount indicated for ,washington has been used with success in places as cold as northern ,ohio and even in ,canada1 but in these places the insulation during the coldest seasons is usually augmented by heavy snows4 ,these are not at hand every winter1 or may be lacking during the coldest part of the winter1 and it is1 therefore1 wise to provide more packing1 especially on the sides and top4 ,for a climate such as that of ,new ,york or ,wisconsin1 #h inches of good packing on the sides and #a foot on the top probably will be enough for good wintering every year4 ,the amounts recommended for the different zones of the ,united ,states are given in ,table ,i 7p4 #ae74 ,a belief is current among many amateur beekeepers that good results may be obtained by using hives which have #b inches of packing built in the sides and somewhat more on top4 ,this amount is insufficient in winter in all parts of the country except the southern portions of the ,gulf ,states4 ,a common practice is to wrap some straw or corn fodder around the hives1 but this may do more harm than good if the wind can blow directly through it4 ,a covering of roofing paper with perhaps a little paper packing underneath is practically worthless in insulating value4 ,,types ,,of ,,packing ,,material4 ,there is little difference in the insulating value of the various materials which may be obtained easily for the packing of hives in winter4 ,exaggerated claims have been made by some beekeepers for such materials as broken cork or certain commercial insulating materials1 but it is safe to say that there is not #be per cent difference between the poorest and the best of the available insulating materials1 provided1 of course1 that obviously poor things such as corn fodder and straw be eliminated4 ,sawdust1 fine planer shavings1 forest leaves1 chaff1 broken cork1 and such materials may be used1 the choice depending chiefly on the availability of the materials4 ,in general it may be stated that the smaller and the more numerous the dead air spaces confined in the packing1 the greater will be its efficiency in insulation4 ,if forest leaves are used they must be gathered the year before and stored1 as the leaves fall some time after the bees should be packed4 ,if sawdust is used it is best not to pack it down tight1 but if forest leaves or planer shavings are employed it is essential that they be packed in closely and that the containers be completely filled4 ,broken cork1 such as is used in the shipping of certain types of grapes1 is good and has the advantage that it does not hold moisture as does sawdust4 ,in all cases the packing should be placed in some sort of box which will be rain-proof and thus protect the insulation from rains and snow1 for all insulating materials lose part of their efficiency when wet4 ,,bottom ,,packing4 ,there has been considerable discussion among beekeepers as to the value of placing packing material below the bottom boards of the hives4 ,this is usually provided by placing the hives on #b by #d inch supports or on racks of #d-;inch material4 ,those who have opposed this have pointed out that heat rises1 overlooking the fact that while warm air attempts to rise1 if this is impossible other avenues of escape of warm-air currents may be set up4 ,furthermore1 and more important1 they have overlooked the important fact that heat escapes from the hive not only by convection currents but by conduction and radiation as well4 ,in an extensive series of experiments performed by the writers it was found that in hives packed at the top and sides most of the heat escapes through the bottom boards2 in fact1 this was so noticeable that the packing at the top and sides never served its full purpose so long as heat was escaping rapidly at the bottoms4 ,it may be stated1 therefore1 that so long as the bottoms are unprotected there is little insulating value in materials piled on the top and sides beyond about #b inches4 ,this amount is insufficient for most parts of the ,united ,states1 therefore bottom packing should be considered as absolutely essential wherever bees are packed4 ,to get the value of bottom packing it is absolutely essential that the entrance be reduced1 but it need not be closed4 ,in a long series of temperature readings on hives packed for several winters1 the authors were able to keep a temperature of #ej ,f4 on the bottom boards of packed hives directly behind the entrance openings4 ,those who have condemned bottom packing have labored under the mistaken notion that it is impossible to prevent currents of cold air through the entrance4 ,this is entirely possible if the entrances are adequately reduced4 ,the conclusion to be drawn from the experiments performed is that unless the bottoms of hives are well packed1 the beekeeper ought not to imagine that he has packed his hives at all well4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #b4--,the winter packing cases used in the ,bureau of ,entomology apiary3 a1 ,detail of tunnel to hives4 ,in the specifications given in this ,bulletin 7p4 #i7 provision is made for room for a third hive body to be added in the spring4 ,,the ,,packing ,,case4 ,there is no virtue in any special type of case1 but in all types there are a few points which must be observed4 ,there must be provision for abundant packing on the top1 bottom1 and sides1 the entrances must be small1 the case must be rain-proof1 and the construction of the case should be such that it may be taken apart and put together easily4 ,the parts of various cases used in one series of apiaries should be interchangeable4 ,the authors have refrained in the past from giving explicit directions for making a winter packing case for fear that some beekeepers might think that there may be peculiar virtue in the case used and recommended by the department 7fig4 #b74 ,so many beekeepers1 however1 have written for exact dimensions for making the case used in the apiary of the ,bureau of ,entomology that it is considered best to give these in this bulletin4 ,in order that protection adequate for bees in a climate such as that of ,washington may be provided1 #d inches of packing below the bottom board1 #f inches on all sides1 and at least #h inches on top are desired4 ,there is advantage in packing several colonies together1 in order that they may warm each other and to reduce the cost of the case and the labor of putting it on4 ,the bureau1 therefore1 has adopted the four-colony type of case which has been much used for years in all parts of the country4 ,in this case1 two colonies face east and two west4 ,provision is made for wintering all colonies in two full-depth hive bodies4 ,in the following dimensions it is assumed that #ac_/af-;inch tongued-and-grooved lumber is used1 that the #aj-;frame ,langstroth hive is in use1 and that two hive bodies are employed for each colony1 with adequate space above the hive so that1 if needed1 a third hive body may be put on before time for the removal of the packing4 ,in this packing case the sides overlap the ends4 ,for hives of other sizes the lumber must be cut so as to provide the packing specified in ,table ,i 7p4 #ae74 ,for zones ,f and ,g 7fig4 #e7 provision should be made for additional packing by increasing the length of all parts #d inches1 and for zone ,c a correspondingly smaller case may be made4 ,bottom of case #dd ,inches 7exact7 by #eb ,inches 7exact74 ,sides of case #ec-e_/h ,inches 7exact7 by #ce-e_/h ,inches 7minimum74 ,ends of case #dd ,inches 7exact7 by #ce-e_/h ,inches 7minimum74 ,telescope cover of case #dh ,inches by #ef ,inches 7minimum74 ,if #f-;inch boards 7laying #e-a_/b inches7 are used1 it is desirable to use #g boards for the height of the case2 if #h-;inch boards 7laying #g-a_/b inches7 are used1 #e will be sufficient4 ,in figure #b only #f boards1 laying #e-a_/b inches1 are shown1 but in this case no allowance is made for a third hive body in the spring4 ,for the telescoping part of the cover1 #d-;inch boards are used4 ,as was pointed out earlier1 the hives should rest throughout the summer on the floor of the winter case 7fig4 #a74 ,the plan of putting them in groups of four1 two facing east and two west1 has much to commend it during the entire year4 ,the bottom therefore should be made strong enough to stand the weight of four colonies without getting out of shape4 ,since this weight may be over #a1jjj pounds in a good year1 it is advised that the cleats on the bottom of the case be of #b by #d inch material4 ,the supports of the bottom and the position of the cleats should be arranged so that the weight will not rest too largely on the boards1 and the stones or bricks used should be directly under the center of the hives when they are in their summer position4 ,obviously the hives will be moved to the outer corners of the bottom during the summer to facilitate handling4 ,the sides of the case should be so constructed that the cleats which hold the boards together will serve to support the overlapping sides on the bottom4 ,this is clearly shown in figure #b4 ,there should also be a central cleat on the sides to prevent warping1 for the cases must be rain-proof4 ,if cleats are properly placed as shown in the illustration1 they make the equivalent of a halved joint at the corners4 ,the sides may be held in place and together by nails or by any sort of special hook4 ,the entrances for the colonies during winter should be in the ends of the case1 as shown4 ,these will be discussed later4 ,the top of the case may be made to telescope over the sides1 as shown in figure #b1 or it may be made in any other way desired so that it is adequate to keep the packing absolutely dry throughout the winter4 ,the telescope cover has much to commend it1 especially in the case with which the covers may be stored in summer4 ,the top of the wooden cover should be covered with a roofing paper of first quality in order that the protection will last for years4 ,if the telescope type of cover is used1 no cleats other than the sides and ends of the telescoping portion will be needed4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #c4--;,an apiary packed for winter in four-colony cases such as are used in the ,bureau of ,entomology apiary4 ,a tunnel 7fig4 #b1 a7 is also needed through which the bees may pass on warm days and to permit ventilation4 ,this is best made of two boards1 one the width of the packing 7e4 g41 #f inches7 and the other this width loss the extension of the bottom board4 ,in most cases this extension is #b inches1 so the lower board will be #d inches wide4 ,these are held apart by strips three-eighths of an inch thick4 ,this is the height of the usual hive entrance in winter1 and the passage between the boards is therefore the same height as the hive entrance4 ,in order that the tunnel may not get out of alignment1 these strips are continued back1 as shown in the figure1 and these projections extend into the hive entrances at the corners4 ,the arrangement for keeping alignment at the outer edge is discussed under ,the entrance 7p4 #ac74 ,,single ,,or ,,double ,,cases4 ,for those having only a few colonies1 it is not always convenient to build cases for colonies in groups of four4 ,it is not necessary to give dimensions in detail for those having a few colonies1 however1 for they will usually wish to use whatever they have at hand4 ,it is often possible to arrange a heavy wooden box1 such as those used for shipping dry goods 7fig4 #d71 so as to make a winter case for one colony which will answer every purpose4 ,it is1 of course1 necessary that the salient feature of a good winter case be preserved4 ,if the arrangement of the apiary makes it inconvenient to have the colonies in groups of four throughout the year1 it is quite possible to make good cases for two colonies4 ,anything other than the four-colony case1 however1 will probably cost more per colony1 or if too many colonies are put into larger cases there may be trouble from other causes1 as from drifting4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #d4--;,an improvised winter case for one colony4 ,,arrangement ,,within ,,the ,,hive4 ,,capacity ,,of ,,the ,,winter ,,hive4 ,as has been pointed out1 bees need room for breeding in the fall and again in the spring4 ,during the winter season there is no brood-rearing in normal colonies which are adequately protected1 and room for breeding therefore is not essential during the winter4 ,if the bees are to have room for the proper development of colony strength1 however1 they should have two hive bodies each of #aj-;frame ,langstroth size by about the beginning of ,april in most parts of the country1 and earlier in the ,south4 ,in order that it may be unnecessary to open colonies during a period of such unsettled weather as obtains at this season1 it is advised that the room for breeding be provided in the fall and left with the bees all winter4 ,to make this a safe procedure1 it is necessary to provide more packing than would be necessary if the colony were provided with only enough room for the cluster and winter stores during the winter4 ,it has been found desirable also to leave more stores with the bees than have been left by many beekeepers1 and this is additional reason for the giving of more room during the winter4 ,it is recommended1 therefore1 that in all parts of the ,united ,states colonies of full strength be wintered in two hive-bodies of #aj-;frame ,langstroth size4 ,they should1 of course1 be provided with abundant protection and the entrances should be reduced4 ,,space ,,above ,,the ,,frames4 ,formerly it was commonly recommended that corn cobs1 or other objects designed for the purpose1 be placed above the top bars of the frames1 and then that quilts be placed over these4 ,the purpose of these objects1 was to lift the quilts so that the bees could pass over the tops of the frames4 ,in former years it was advised that holes be bored through the combs to permit passage from one space to the other4 ,of late years these things have been abandoned1 to a large degree1 for it is known now that if bees are packed as they should be they may pass easily at all times to any part of the hive as need arises4 ,it is often stated that bees die of starvation in the hives when there is abundant honey not many inches away from the cluster4 ,this1 of course1 never happens in colonies that are well packed4 ,in colonies that are adequately protected there is no better plan than simply to leave the regular wooden cover in place and sealed down by the bees4 ,quilts directly over the frames are a nuisance at any time1 and during the winter they are of no value for upward ventilation in well packed colonies and should be used only as a poor makeshift for good packing4 ,,upward ,,ventilation4 ,a common practice has been to remove the hive cover when the bees are packed for winter and to cover the frames with burlap or some such porous material1 the object being to allow the escape of any moisture which may be generated within the hive during the winter4 ,moisture is being generated constantly as the bees consume the honey stores1 but if the bees are adequately packed the amount of moisture will be reduced to the minimum4 ,the chief dancer1 of course1 is from moisture which condenses1 and in an adequately packed hive there is no condensation4 ,the temperature never goes low enough for water vapor to condense4 ,therefore it is obvious that upward ventilation for the escape of moisture is never needed in hives that are packed as they should be4 ,any beekeeper who has had trouble in the past with condensed moisture in the hives1 or with wet packing over the porous tops1 may be sure that he has not provided enough packing material4 ,another thing is to be considered in connection with the subject of upward ventilation4 ,the entrances to the hives must be greatly reduced in order that there may not be excessive loss of heat at that point4 ,if upward ventilation is provided1 there is opportunity for the wind to blow through even the small entrance1 through the hive and out through the porous cover4 ,this current of air will be slight but nevertheless it exists1 and serves as an avenue for the escape of considerable heat4 ,if insufficient packing is provided1 upward ventilation becomes almost necessary1 unless a large entrance is left4 ,the beekeeper must see to it that he is providing adequate packing material before he gives up the upward ventilation1 but he should not count his bees well packed for winter so long as he must provide for the escape of condensed moisture4 ,,the ,,entrance4 ,as has been pointed out1 the entrances of hives must be greatly reduced during the winter in order that the efficacy of the bottom packing may be preserved4 ,it is desirable1 however1 that provision be made for larger entrances during the early fall and again in the spring4 ,to provide conditions suitable at all times while the packing cases are on1 the ,bureau of ,entomology has adopted a type of entrance which to some extent has been used previously in the ,north4 ,five #c_/h-;inch anger holes are bored in the ends of the packing case at a height that will allow for the thickness of the case floor1 the bottom packing1 and the thickness of the bottom of the hive4 ,this usually is a little over #f inches from the lower edge of the case ends4 ,no alighting board should be placed at the outer entrance holes1 as it is not needed and serves only to collect snow and ice4 ,to prevent the tunnels from getting out of alignment at the outer edge1 a peg of the diameter of the holes is inserted through the outer hole for each hive and into the tunnel 7see fig4 #b74 ,this peg is usually about #b-a_/b inches long4 ,this leaves four auger holes1 each three-eighths of an inch in diameter1 for the bees to use as an entrance during the fall and spring1 and during the colder weather a piece of section material or a small board is tacked over three of the holes4 7,see fig4 #c47 ,this gives in winter a single hole for an entrance1 three-eighths of an inch in diameter4 ,this provides a place for the bees to remove their dead1 a place for flight on moderately warm days1 and also provides adequate ventilation for the hive while the bees are confined without an opportunity for flight4 ,however1 the size of entrance should not be discussed without warning beekeepers that unless adequate packing is provided1 such a small entrance may result in the death of the colony4 ,furthermore1 a poorly packed colony will not be able to carry out the bees as they die1 and the death rate will be higher2 and these things combined may result in an accumulation of dead bees at the entrance1 which will serve to suffocate the remaining bees4 ,a colony that is well packed1 however1 is able to remove all dead bees as fast as they die1 and there will never be an accumulation on the floor of the hive4 ,furthermore1 a well-packed colony does not need so large an entrance for ventilation as does one that is not packed or which has not enough packing4 ,if snow drifts over the small entrance here described1 the beekeeper need have no anxiety1 for the bees can still receive adequate ventilation4 ,if a crust of ice closes the entrance it will be well to break it1 but usually the escaping heat will melt this ice before any damage is done4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #e4--,map of the eastern ,united ,states indicating average date of first killing frost in autumn4 ,on this the zones for winter packing are based4 ,no packing is recommended in zones ,a and ,b4 ,,winter ,,schedule4 ,great confusion has existed among beekeepers as to the right time to pack the bees for winter1 and especially as to the right time to remove the packing in the spring4 ,it is quite possible to give definite directions for both procedures and to place the recommendations on a firm foundation by basing them on weather phenomena4 ,the maps 7figs4 #e and #f71 showing the time of the first average killing frost in the fall1 serve as a basis for the recommendations for each of the zones into which the map of the eastern ,united ,states is divided4 ,perhaps it will be a matter of surprise to beekeepers in parts of the ,south to see that1 so far as the wintering of the bees is concerned1 they are as far north as beekeepers who live many miles farther toward the pole4 ,the lines on figure #e indicate the average dates of the first killing frost in the fall1 and these dates1 given at the ends of the heavy lines1 are of direct value to the beekeeper as giving the proper time for putting on the winter cases4 ,the average dates of the last killing frost in the spring do not show exactly the same lines on the maps1 but the differences are not sufficiently great to justify the use of a separate map for this purpose4 ,the authors have chosen therefore to divide the country into the zones indicated1 and the recommendations given below apply to each of the zones shown4 ,on account of the variations in elevation1 it is impossible to carry these lines into the ,rocky ,mountain region1 but as packing is just as necessary in the ,west as in the ,east1 figure #f is inserted to indicate roughly the time for the putting on of the packing in the fall4 ,the dates in this map are the average dates of the first killing frost4 ,by consulting ,table ,i the beekeeper of the ,west may learn the time advised for the removal of the packing1 by placing his locality in its proper zone1 on the basis of the first killing frost4 ,table ,i4--,dates for the packing and unpacking of been in the various parts of the ,united ,states1 board on data furnished by the ,weather ,bureau for the average dates of the first and last killing frosts4 ,the amount of packing recommended for each zone is included4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------- ,date for ,date for ,packing ,zone4 packing4 unpacking4 recommended4#a ,remarks4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------- ,a 44444 44444 44444 ,none needed4 ,b 44444 44444 44444 ,do4 ,c ,november #be ,march #ae #b-d- #f ,d ,november #aj ,april #aj #d-f- #h ,e ,october #be ,may #a #d-f- #h ,f ,october #a ,may #bj #d-h-ab ,g ,september #ae ,june #a #d-h-ab ,cellar wintering much safer4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------- #a ,in this column the first figure represents in inches the amount of packing needed below the bottom boards1 the second the amount of side packing1 and the last the amount needed on top4 ,,time ,,for ,,putting ,,on ,,the ,,winter ,,packing4 ,frequently great loss of colony strength is due to delay in putting on the packing4 ,perhaps this is the most common source of loss in outdoor wintering aside from that due to a failure to pack the bees at all4 ,packing should not be deferred after the flowers furnishing the last honey are killed by frost4 ,in case the late fall flowers furnish honey that is to be removed1 then it is necessary to wait until nectar is no longer coming in before applying the packing1 but it is indeed rare that the last honey should be taken away1 and it is good beekeeping to apply the packing even before there is any frost at all4 ,the determining factor is the necessity for handling the bees4 ,if more stores must be given them or if some of the late honey is to be removed in order that it may be replaced by better honey or by sugar sirup1 then handling of the bees after frost may be needed1 but after the last essential handling it is much the best plan to pack the bees4 ,in pints of the country where bees are wintered outdoors it is quite customary to delay packing until ,thanksgiving ,day1 but this is too late by far except in the extreme ,south 7zone ,c74 ,it is safe1 therefore1 for the beekeeper to use the dates shown in figures #e and #f and the data given in ,table ,i as a guide to the time of packing4 ,he may be assured that if he delays packing later than the dates shown therein the bees will suffer by a loss of colony strength and vitality at a season of the year when they can ill afford to be weakened by neglect4 ,under no circumstances should packing be delayed more1 than two weeks after the date given for each zone4 ,further1 if packing is delayed until after cold weather begins1 the disturbance of the colony may induce the beginning of brood-rearing1 find this in turn may result in the death of the colony4 ,if by chance a colony has been left unpacked until after the bees have been confined by cold weather for three or four weeks1 the packing may do more harm than good4 ,,time ,,for ,,the ,,removal ,,of ,,packing4 ,if bees are given the right amount of room1 stores1 and protection early in the fall1 nothing that the beekeeper can do will benefit them until it is necessary to handle them because of preparations for swarming or because of the incoming nectar4 ,of course if bees are well packed they get so strong in the spring that if crowded they begin preparations for swarming earlier than do colonies which have been neglected during the winter4 ,by following the methods here described the season for swarm control is advanced1 so that usually it is entirely passed before the honey-flow begins4 ,in the region of ,washington it has been found best not to remove the packing until at least ,may #a4 ,further south or in warmer regions it may be well to remove the packing earlier1 but in localities such as ,new ,york or ,wisconsin 7zone ,f7 the packing should be left in place until at least ,may #bj1 and usually until ,june #a4 ,obviously this will be impossible unless two hive bodies are left on the bees all winter1 or unless more room is given in the early spring1 before unpacking4 ,it has been found that if the bees are allowed to remain in the cases until the dates named they may then be taken out ready for whatever nectar may come4 ,by that time they should have #ab frames of brood--far more than is found in the average colony throughout the country oven in the midst of the honey-flow4 ,such colonies are so strong that if cooler weather comes after they are unpacked1 as it sometimes does1 they are not injured by it4 ,of course the bees would be as well of even better off if the packing could be left on throughout the year1 but as yet no practicable way has been devised for giving the bees enough packing during the winter and then leaving it on throughout the summer4 ,the commercial double-walled hives which have been devised for this purpose are all too scant in packing material for good results1 and none of them can be recommended4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #f4--,map of the western ,united ,states1 showing variation in average date of first killing frost4 ,for each locality the recommendations for packing and unpacking are the same as in corresponding zones in figure #e4 ,the dryer atmosphere of most of the ,west does not diminish the need of packing4 ,for localities where the first frost occurs after ,november #be no packing is recommended4 ,the dates given for the removal of packing in the spring follow approximately the average dates of the last killing frost in the spring for each locality4 ,in case local conditions make the removal of the packing unnecessary as early as the dates indicated1 it is entirely safe to leave the packing on until some manipulation makes it desirable to handle the combs1 as this can not well be done while the hives are heavily packed4 ,,winter ,,stores4 ,in packing bees for winter two things require attention so far as stores are concerned1 and one is as important as the other3 7#a7 ,there must be plenty of honey in the hive to last until the spring honey-flow1 and 7#b7 the stores which will be used by the bees during the period of confinement in winter must be of the best quality and well ripened4 ,it is1 of course1 possible to give the bees more honey or sugar sirup after spring opens1 but this means that the colonies will need to be handled during this period1 and this is not the best plan4 ,it is commonly said among the best beekeepers that the best time to do spring feeding is the fall before4 ,the safest plan by all means is to allow each colony to have at least #de pounds of honey at the time the bees are packed4 ,they should then be allowed to keep any honey which may come in later1 and it will be adequately ripened if the colony is well packed4 ,this will be small in extent if they are packed at the right time1 and the bees will also have their stores replenished by small amounts of honey which come in during the early spring before they are unpacked4 ,this amount of stores for winter will seem large to many beekeepers who have been in the habit of leaving loss1 but the object of the plans herein set forth is to have much stronger colonies than are found in the average apiary in the spring1 and the amount of stores mentioned may be needed4 ,the only places where beekeepers might have some reason to reduce the amount of stores are locations where the honey granulates quickly1 in which event it can not be extracted later4 ,such honey1 however1 usually is as good for winter stores as if it were not granulated1 and it may then be saved for stores the following winter4 ,forty-five pounds of honey on the hive is a better investment for the beekeeper than money in the bank1 and more beekeepers make mistakes in this regard than anywhere else in the work of the year4 ,honey that is high in gums1 as many of the honeys which come from various trees1 is not good for winter stores4 ,honeydew honey is still less desirable4 ,when either is present it is best to remove it and either to give frames of good honey to take its place or to feed about #aj pounds of good honey or sirup made of granulated sugar after all brood-rearing has ceased4 ,honey or sugar sirup which is fed late is stored in the place where the last brood emerged2 it is therefore the first of the stores that the bees use4 ,as long as they are having good honey or sugar stores for winter use the condition known as dysentery will be warded off4 ,then1 later1 when they have used up the good stores1 the weather will permit frequent flights1 and then the less satisfactory stores will do no harm4 ,honeydew honeys usually may be detected by their bad taste1 accompanied ordinarily by a dark1 muddy appearance4 ,in case of doubt as to the stores it is always safe to give good honey or sugar sirup4 ,unfortunately it is true that many of the fall honeys are not of the best quality for winter use1 and this1 in part1 accounts for the heavy losses of bees occurring regularly in some parts of the country4 ,,all ,,the ,,factors ,,of ,,good ,,wintering ,,are ,,needed4 ,one frequently encounters beekeepers who condemn winter packing1 stating that they have tried it without success4 ,the writers have met many such beekeepers1 and many of them are good beekeepers in other respects4 ,on careful inquiry it is learned that in all cases they have omitted some vitally important factor4 ,the most common fault in winter packing is to leave the entrances of the hives wide open4 ,this1 of course1 nullifies the benefit of the packing to a large degree1 and one need not be surprised that these men do not find virtue in packing heavily4 ,another common fault in packing is to omit the packing from the bottom4 ,snow acts as an excellent insulation1 but one can not be sure that there will be snow at just the right times1 and it is therefore necessary1 to insure good wintering1 that good packing be placed on the bottoms4 ,it is also common to face the hives to the south and then leave the fronts without packing1 under the erroneous impression that since the heat from the sun will enter more readily1 the colonies will be benefited more than they would be if they were heavily packed in front4 ,to combat this view it should be necessary only to point out that the sun shines only a small fraction of the hours during winter4 ,furthermore1 any place through which heat may enter easily serves also as a place through which heat escapes4 ,in certain well-known cases the other factors of good wintering1 strong colonies and good stores1 are so well provided that the loss from this lack of protection is not detected1 yet it is certain that in any such method of wintering there is a great loss of bee vitality1 and the bees are compelled to do more work in heat generation than would be the case were they well packed4 ,it can not be stated too strongly that the right way to winter bees is to provide all the factors needed1 and not to omit any of them simply because in most years the bees can get through without all dying when less help is given4 ,the three things necessary for successful earing for bees from the time they are packed until they are unpacked in the late spring are 7#a7 plenty of protection1 7#b7 plenty of stores of good quality1 and 7#c7 plenty of room for the building up of the colony strength in the spring4 ,none of these may be omitted without reducing the colony strength in the spring1 and1 as every good beekeeper knows1 it is the strong colonies which get the maximum crop4 ,,measures ,,of ,,success ,,in ,,wintering4 ,it is often difficult for a beekeeper to know whether he is wintering his bees as well as he should1 for he may not have been able to learn from reading or visiting other apiaries how well colonies may be brought through the winter4 ,the writers therefore have attempted to give here a few measures which the beekeeper may apply to his apiary1 that he may be able to decide whether his methods of wintering should be improved4 #a4 ,when bees are adequately packed and protected from the wind1 they are able to push out the dead bees as they die in winter4 ,there should never be an accumulation of dead bees on the bottom board4 #b4 ,a colony of full strength will have #ab ,langstroth frames filled with brood by the time that the bees should be unpacked4 ,the bees should not be taken from their cases until it is necessary to handle them1 and if two hive bodies have been given each colony1 unpacking may be deferred until time for the control of swarming or until the new honey is coming in freely4 ,sometimes it even happens that colonies need a third hive as a swarm prevention measure before it is time to remove the packing1 in which case it can be given and the packing replaced1 at least around the sides of the third hive body4 ,space for this is indicated in the dimensions given on page #i4 #c4 ,a colony is not of proper strength for winter unless it has between three and four frames of brood two months before the time for putting on packing4 ,usually this will be six weeks before brood-rearing ceases4 ,if there is less brood at that time it indicates either that the queen is not good or that the colony has been weakened from some other cause4 ,if taken in time this condition may be remedied by adding brood or honey or by uniting4 ,it is extravagant to attempt to winter weak colonies4 #d4 ,if a thermometer is inserted into the hive through the auger hole entrance at the time of the coldest weather in winter it should show a temperature above the freezing point4 ,at no time should the temperature of any part of the hive go below freezing1 and the point just within the entrance is the most convenient one at which to take the temperature readings4 ,the lowest temperature obviously will be at this point4 ,,the ,,president ,,to ,,the ,,farmers ,,of ,,america4 ,extracts from ,president ,wilson's message to the ,farmers' ,conference at ,urbana1 ,ill41 ,january #ca1 #aiah4 ,the forces that fight for freedom1 the freedom of men all over the world as well as our own1 depend upon us in an extraordinary and unexpected degree for sustenance1 for the supply of the materials by which men are to live and to fight1 and it will be our glory when the war is over that we have supplied those materials and supplied them abundantly1 and it will be all the more glory because in supplying them we have made our supreme effort and sacrifice4 ,in the field of agriculture we have agencies and instrumentalities1 fortunately1 such as no other ,government in the world can show4 ,the ,department of ,agriculture is undoubtedly the greatest practical and scientific agricultural organization in the world4 ,its total annual budget of #aj1jjj1jjj has been increased during the last four years more than #gb per cent4 ,it has a staff of #ah1jjj1 including a large number of highly trained experts1 and alongside of it stand the unique land-grant colleges1 which are without example elsewhere1 and the #fi ,state and ,federal experiment stations4 ,these colleges and experiment stations have a total endowment of plant and equipment of #agb1jjj1jjj and an income or more than #ce1jjj1jjj with #aj1bga teachers1 a resident student body of #abe1jjj1 and a vast additional number receiving instructions at their homes4 ,county agents1 joint officers of the ,department of ,agriculture and of the colleges1 are everywhere cooperating with the farmers and assisting them4 ,the number of extension workers under the ,smith-,lever ,act and under the recent emergency legislation has grown to #e1ejj men and women working regularly in the various communities and taking to the farmer the latest scientific and practical information4 ,alongside these great public agencies stand the very effective voluntary organizations among the farmers themselves which are more and more learning the best methods of cooperation and the best methods of putting to practical use the assistance derived from governmental sources4 ,the banking legislation of the last two or three years has given the farmers access to the great lendable capital of the country1 and it has become the duly both of the men in charge of the ,federal ,reserve ,banking ,system and of the ,farm ,loan ,banking ,system to see to it that the farmers obtain the credit1 both short term and long term1 to which they are entitled not only1 but which it is imperatively necessary should be extended to them if the present tasks of the country are to be adequately performed4 ,both by direct purchase of nitrates and by the establishment of plants to produce nitrates1 the ,government is doing its utmost to assist in the problem of fertilization4 ,the ,department of ,agriculture and other agencies are actively assisting the farmers to locate1 safeguard1 and secure at cost an adequate supply of sound seed4 ,the farmers of this country are as efficient as any other farmers in the world4 ,they do not produce more per acre than the farmers in ,europe4 ,it is not necessary that they should do so4 ,it would perhaps be bad economy for them to attempt it4 ,but they do produce by two to three or four times more per man1 per unit of labor and capital1 than the farmers of any ,european country4 ,they are more alert and use more labor-saving devices than any other farmers1 in the world4 ,and their response to the demands of the present emergency has been in every way remarkable4 ,last spring their planting exceeded by #ab1jjj1jjj acres the largest planting of any previous year1 and the yields from the crops were record-breaking yields4 ,in the fall of #aiag a wheat acreage of #db1agj1jjj was planted1 which was #a1jjj1jjj larger than for any preceding year1 #c1jjj1jjj greater than the next largest1 and #g1jjj1jjj greater than the preceding five-year average4 ,but ,i ought to say to you that it is not only necessary that these achievements should be repeated1 but that they should be exceeded4 ,i know what this advice involves4 ,it involves not only labor but sacrifice1 the painstaking application of every hit of scientific knowledge and every tested practice that is available4 ,it means the utmost economy1 even to the point where the pinch comes4 ,it means the kind of concentration and self-sacrifice which is involved in the field of battle itself1 where the object always looms greater than the individual4 ,and yet the ,government will help and help in every way that it is possible4 ,it was farmers from whom came the first shots at ,lexington1 that set aflame the ,revolution that made ,america free4 ,i hope and believe that the farmers of ,america will willingly and conspicuously stand by to win this war also4 ,the toil1 the intelligence1 the energy1 the foresight1 the self-sacrifice and devotion of the farmers of ,america will1 ,i believe1 bring to a triumphant conclusion this great last war for the emancipation of men from the control of arbitrary government and the selfishness of class legislation and control1 and then1 when the end has come1 we may look each other in the face and be glad that we are ,americans and have had the privilege to play such a part4 ,,the ,,business ,,of ,,agriculture4 ,extracts from addresses4 ,the next great factor to enlist for the betterment of ,agriculture and rural life in this ,nation is the business man of the town and the city4 ,he has not always been alive to his obligations4 ,he has contented himself1 in too many instances1 with plans to secure profit in agricultural trade1 instead of sympathetically and eagerly planning constructive assistance4 ,this duty1 pressing in peace time1 is of the most urgent and impelling character in this crisis2 and ,i appeal to the bankers and business men to see that they omit no effort to familiarize themselves with the agencies serving to aid the farmers and to promote wise plans to secure the necessary results4 ,d4 ,f4 ,houston1 ,secretary of ,agriculture4 ,in the interest of our national development at all times and in the interest of war efficiency just now our agriculture must be well maintained4 ,it should be remembered that the agricultural unit is a small unit4 ,there are #f1jjj1jjj farms in this country1 each an individual unit4 ,it is to the interest of persons who do not live on farms1 even more than to the interest of those who do live on farms1 that production shall be kept up4 ,this means that all people1 not farmers alone1 but those who live in cities as well as the farmers1 are interested in experimental and educational activities along agricultural lines as conducted by the ,federal ,government and the ,states4 ,these efforts should be liberally supported4 ,r4 ,a4 ,pearson1 ,assistant ,secretary of ,agriculture4 ,in a time like this no man has a moral right1 whatever his fortune may be1 to employ another man to render any service1 of mere comfort or convenience4 ,when the finest young men of the ,united ,states are in ,france digging ditches1 sawing lumber1 laying rails1 and playing with death1 and when the finest young women of the ,united ,states are scrubbing floors in hospitals1 it is a sin that almost approaches the unpardonable offense against civilization for any man or women in the ,united ,states to engage in a wasteful or unnecessary service4 ,clarence ,ousley1 ,assistant ,secretary of ,agriculture4 ,,beekeeping ,,in ,,wartimes4 ,it is imperative that the sugar crop of the ,united ,states be increased1 and every supply of supplemental sweet should be augmented to the greatest possible extent4 ,honey is one of the best of these and its production may be increased without great effort4 ,the supply of nectar from which the bees make honey is bountiful and the only limitation to honey production is whether the price obtainable for the honey justifies the labor of the beekeeper4 ,there is no question of this in wartimes4 ,the recent demand for honey for export has been greater than ever before and the home demand has also greatly increased4 ,because of the shortage of sugar1 all forms of supplemental sweets are being utilized and none of these appeals to the tastes of the consuming public more strongly than does honey4 ,this increased demand has raised the price of honey and it is therefore a paying business to produce it to meet this need1 in addition to the fact that the beekeeper may feel that he is materially assisting in the food crisis of the ,nation4 ,it is to be expected that even after the war is over this demand for honey will not cease1 for many people are eating honey now who were not familiar with its delicious qualities1 and they will not forget how good it is4 ,in the production of honey1 it is of the first importance that the colonies of bees be kept strong1 especially that they be strong before the beginning of the main honey-flows of the early summer4 ,to bring about this essential condition1 the most important step is the proper wintering of the bees1 and this bulletin has been prepared that beekeepers throughout the country may be able to get their bees through the winter without the great loss of colonies and reduction in strength of those which still live which have been so common in the past4 ,the proper preparation of the bees for winter now becomes not only a patriotic duty1 but it is good business4 ,,keep ,,more ,,bees4 ,,keep ,,bees ,,better 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber ,notes ,illustrations moved so as to prevent splitting paragraphs4