ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY New York STATE COLLEGES OF AGRICULTURE AND HoME ECONOMICS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY EVERETT FRANKLIN PHILLIPS BEEKEEPING LIBRARY Cornell University Library 's, British Col Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www. archive.org/details/cu31924003437898 <---> = ae Sm eR ole BEEKEEPING « ue KOOTENAYS BRITISH COLUMBIA By a J. SHEPPARD, Nelson, Certificated Expert ’ Britis eekeepers’ Association, England. Pro- vincial Inspector of Apiaries for the Kootenays. Secretary-Treasurer Beekeepers’. Association of British Columbia, Kootenay Division. JS ~ Sec; Salem) Rem |\ Pas) Tan haa Published by THE BEEKEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, KOOTENAY DIVISION, NELSON, B.C, A CHARGE OF TWENTY-FIVE CENTS 18 MADE FOR BACH . COPY TO COVER THE COST OF PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION. OCTOBER, 1918. The Berkeepers’ Association of British Columbia (Incorporated 1916) KOOTENAY DIVISION E 8974 OFFICERS | DIRECTORS | | E. ALPAUGH, KasLo PRESIDENT || oA. M. BLACK, NELSON MAJOR-GEN. LORD AYLMER, J, BLINCO, CRESTON QUEEN’s Bay, B.C. GORDON R. BROWN, Rosson T. L. BLOOMER, NELSON MRS. CASLER, NELSON VICE-PRESIDENT S. FAWCETT, NELSON J. R. HUNTER, NELSON A. E. PITTAWAY, JAMES JOHNSTONE, NELSON CASTLEGAR, B.C. B. LOCKWOOD, NELSON REV. J. F. MAHOOD, QUEEN’s BAY G. E. PARHAM, INVERMERE SECRETARY-TREASURER R. V. RAMSDEN, NELSON W. J. SHEPPARD, W. ROMAIN, NELSON NELSON, B.C. W. J. SHEPPARD, NELSON DELEGATES TO CENTRAL BOARD T. L. BLOOMER W. J. SHEPPARD Beekeeping in the Kootenays British Columbia Beekeeping is practically a new industry in the East and West Koot- enays, which is making gool progress, and is capable of: considerable expansion. In most of the best districts for honey production where there are beekeepers already located there is likely to be sienty of room for more colonies for scme time yet, and there are many excellent loca- tions where no bees are at present kept at all. The honey produced, which is nearly all extracted honey, is in popular favor, and the demand is increasing, as it is superior to most that has been imported. It may: be described as a nice table honey, of uniformly good quality, usually light amber in color, and of delicate flavor, so that it is capable of holding its own, either in home or distant markets. With suitable management a cane ge paying crop can, as a general rule, be depended on every season. White Dutch Clover (Trifolium repens) which now grows will and in great pro- fusion in most localities is the main source of production. Is is sur prising how rapidly White Clover becomes established and spreads after the forest trees have been cut down. This is m:re particularly - notice- able where cattle are ranging as they help to keep down the ranker vegetation, and also act as distributors of the seed. In some localities, Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum) is being cultivated to a greater ex- tent than formerly, and is also spreaiing naturally in the same manner as White Clover. As Alsike Clover is c-nsidered to stand at the head of all other plants in the production of honey this will be of benefit to the beekeepers. Alsike succeeds better than Red Clover where there is an excess of moisture, or acidity in the soil, or a deficiency of lime. Red Clover, largely grown for ploughing in, unfortunately does not help the beekeepers very much.as the tongues of hive-bees are not sufficiently long to-reach the nectar secreted by the blossoms, unless the latter be come dwarfed by drought or by flowering the second time. Experiments are being maie in some places in growing the biennal Bokhara Clover, generally known as White Sweet Clover (Melilotus alba), which yields honey freely over a long period, and is meeting with success. Inoculation, the same culture as for alfalfa, and a hard seed bed are usually necessary to get it started. Sweet Clover has been introduced in run-down and barren tracts in the United States, where apparently nothing would suc- ceed, and is reported to be giving good results' as food for cattle, hzrses, and hogs, in honey production, and in improving the soil. It will grow on any soil except that which is water-logged. Alfalfa has not as yet been known to yield hzney to any appreciable extent in this section of British Columbia. , In some localities, the wild flowers yield a somewhat large propor- tion of the honey. The most important of these are the common Dande- lin (Taraxacum officinale,) (introduced), and the Bearberry (Arctostaphy- los Uva-ursi) early in the season, and later on, during July and August, Sprealjing Dogbane, commonly known as Milk-weed, (Apocynum androse- mifolium), Snow-berry bush (Symphoricarpos racemosus), Wolf-berry bush (Symphoricarpos vecidentalis), and the Great Willow Herb, usually * known as Fire-weed, (Epilobium or Chamcenerion, angustifolium). There are also Wild ‘Raspberries growing in abundance in many places. HONEY YIELDING WILD FLOWERS OF THE KOOTENAYS Willows—Salicacz. (Willow family). Pussy Willow—(Salix discolor) etc. Flower in March ani April. Both honey and pollen are obtained from the pistillate flowers, honey only from the staminate. Dandelion—C-mposite. (Compesite family). (Taraxacum officinale). Flowers in April and May. .. : Bearberry—(Kinnikinnik). Ericacez. (Eeath family.) Arctostaphylos Urva-ursi. ® Blueb2rry—Ericacese. (Heath family.) Vaccinium ovalifolium, etc, Huckleberry—Ericacee. (Heath family). Gaylussacia -resinosa. Choke Cherry—Rosacez. (Rose family). Prunus demissa. eae ee Bird or Pin Cherry—Rosacez (Rose family). Prunus pennsylvanica, All these flower in May. Barberry—(Oregon Grape) Berberidacee. (Barberry family). Berberis aquifolium and Berberis repens. Wild Red Raspberry—Rosacew. (Rose family). Rubus strigosus. Wild Black Raspberry—Rosacez. (Rose family). Rubus cccidentalis. All these flower in June. Dogbane—(Milk-weed) Apocynacee. (Dogbane family} Apocynum andro- semifolium (Spreading Dogbane). Snowberry— Caprifoliacez (Honeysuckle family) Symphoricarpos race- mcsus, Wolfberry— Caprifoliacez (Honeysuckle family) Symphoricarpos occi- dentalis. Canada Thistle—Composite (Composite family) Cirsium arvense. Ali these flower in June and July. 3 Great Willow Herb or Fire-weed—Onagracee. (Evening Primrose family) Epilobium, (or Chamcenerion) angustifolium. é Golden Rod—Composite. (Composite family) Solidago canadensis etc, Flower in July and August, In localities principally devoted to the production cf fruit there are not nearly enough bees kept to ensure the pollination of the blossoms. The chief problems that have confronted the beekeepers in the Koot- enays have been difficulties in wintering, and in the control of swarming. The latter has often been contributory to the former. Excessive swarm- ing frequently caused by not providing the bees with sufficient hive room, and generally occurring during the short honey flows, peculiar to this region, has resulted in their being unable to store enough honey to winter on, so that they have died of starvation, unless fed with sugar syrup in the fall. The use of single-walled hives, with little or no additional pro- tection in winter, has als> been responsible for many of the losses that have been sustained. In some localities honey-dew, the excretion of: aphides, collected and stored in the combs by the bees, has been the main cause of winter fatalities. , As a rule the snow commences to fall early in November and remains on the groun1 until about the end cf the following March so that usually. the bees are confined to the hives for nearly five months. At some time however, during this period, there may come a warm wind, or “Chinook”, which, combined with brilliant sunshine, may raise the temperature for a few days to almcst summer heat. ‘When this occurs it is liable to bring the bees out of the hives prematurely with the result that thousands of them alight on the soft snow, become chilled, ani are not able to get back again. Under such circumstances the bees are not so likely to fly from hives that are well insulated, as they are from hives not well protect- ed, as the inside temperature does n obtain the most advantageous terms for members in the purchase of bee supplies. ‘ . To effect the standardizing of such bee appliances as may be found most suitable for the province To promote and regulate local exhibits of bees, honey, wax, etc., and arrange for che judginy sf same. To aid in the dissemination of reliable and practical information with regard to the bee industry and further its progress in every way possible. The annual subscriptizn is one dollar. METHODS OF BEEKEEPING FOUND SUITABLE FOR THE KOOTENAYS ‘ Hives, : What is known as the ten-frame hive, taking ten Langstroth frames, is considered to be the most convenient and suitable for general use. If preferred this can take the form of a double-walled brood cham- ber, with single-walled. hive- bodies as supers. A complete hive of this . description was, for the convenience of the beekeepers, standardized by the Kootenay Beekeepers’ Association. —.5.— ‘Kootenay Hive-case. An improvement on the double-walled hive, just referrel to has been introduced in the form of a permanent hive-case, made to take the ten- frame single-walled hive-bodies, with a three-inch space all round them. This space, as far as the top cf the first single-walled hive-body, or brood- chamber, is kept permanently packed with planer shavings, or other suit- able material, all the year round. It is covered in at the top to prevent the packing from falling. into the hive when opened. There is also a three- inch space unjerneath the floor which is kept permanently packed as well. The bees have more protection in this hive-case than in the double, walled hive, and the temperature is kept czoler and more uniform in summer. The supers being all under cover are completely shaded from the hot rays of the sun. There is not the trouble of packing in the fall, and unpacking in the spring, as in the case of the single-walled hives. It is less expensive than the double-walled hive, the largér proportion of the material used in its construction being % inch shiplap. The design is simple, and it can all be easily taken apart. The outer edge at the top of each storey, or “lift,” is slightly bevelled so that it may be hifted off easily and replaced quickly without sticking or jarring. The floor is made to slope half an inch from back to front, at the same time permitting the case itself to stand perfectly level. Blocks on the inside corners of the cover raise it so as ts provide permanent ventilation and allow any bees to escape that may get shut in. Single-walled Hive-bodies, The outside dimensions of the ten-frame single-walled hive-bodies, as used in the Kootenays, are 16% iriches wide, 20 inches long, and 91% inches deep, the bee space being above the frames. The material generally used, which is the most suitable, is white pine lumber, dressed on both sides. The ends are % inch in thickness, and the sides % inch. ‘ As lumber 7-8 inch in thickness has tx be sawn specially, which makes it often difficult to procure, and also makes it more expensive, it has been suggested that it would be better in future for the hive-bodies to be made throughout of % inch material, this being the standard of the lumber trade in Canada, and therefore more easily obtainable. This would make a difference of a quarter of an inch in the length, viz. 19% inches instead of 20 inches. These hive-bodies made throughout of % inch material, as suggested, will take ten Langstroth frames, spaced 1% inches from centre to centre, and a division board % inch in thickness. Or ten frames can be used, spaced 1% inches from centre to centre with- out any division board, the inside width, viz. 15%4 inches, being just right for this purpsse, with the allowance of a bee-space (14 inch) on the out: sides of the outer combs. } When the single-walled hive-bodies are utilized as supers, for the production of extracted honey, it is a good plan to use nine frames only, spaced wider apart, without any division board, as the czmbs will then be, correspondingly thicker when filled with honey, making it much easier to slice off the cappings with the uncapping knife, ‘ Langstroth Frame. The specification of the Langstroth frame, which was adopt- ed as the standard of the Kootenay Beekeepers’ Association, is as follows: Material, white pine. Top Bar, length 18%inches, width Gis 1..1:16 in., depth 7-8 inch. Slip cut out for nailing in foundation. End Bays, or Posts, length 9% inches, width 1 1-16 inches, thickness % inch. Housel at each end to receive top and bottom bars. Pierced for wiring. Bottom Bar, length 17% inches, width % inch, thickness 5-16 inch, Lugs, width % inch, thickness 5-16 inch. Metal spacers extend width of end bars to 18 inches. End Staples under lugs extending %4 inch. As some beekeepers have not used the end spacing staples, whereby the length of the top bar, viz. 18% inches, is apt to permit it to drop down into the hive-body, it has been suggested that the top bars in future be made 18 15-16 inches in length. Beekeepers can easily reduce this ty 18% inches, if they wish. In order to conform to the % inch stanjard of the lumber trade, and by so doing economize material, it is also suggested that the depth of the top bar be reduced t» % inch, instead of % inch, and the end bars be made 5-16 inch in thickness, instead cf % inch. , SWARM CONTROL AND THE TREATMENT OF SWARMS ; As only one main honey flow, usually commencing about the middle of July, can as a rule be reckoned on in the Kootenays, and this of com- paratively short duration, it is essential tx have all the hives at their. maximum strength at this particular time, so that the bees are in just the -right condition, and therefore, in readiness to take the fullest advantage of it. They may then be expected to store the largest quantity of honey pos- ‘sible. A good system of swarm control can usually be relied on to acc-mp- lish this. If the bees swarm, as they generally do under ordinary circum- stances, when left to their own devices, just before, or at some period during this honey flow, the cr=p will be nearly all lost to the beekeeper, un- less the colony is built up again, as near as can be, to its original strength, _prior to swarming. Failing this the bulk of the honey that is gatherel is used up by the bees in the production of more brood and bees instead of being stored in the supers. Some beekeepers make the mistake of dividing their colonies just before the honey flow and thereby lose the honey crop. ' There are two. methods of swarm control that have been tried here and found to be satisfactory. The first is what is usually known as the De. DEMAREE PLAN ” maree plan, and is operated as follows: Just be- fore the colony is ready to swarm put all the brood excepting one or two irames, in a second story over a queen excluder, (two frames seem Super to be best, as otherwise the bees may neglect the queen), leaving the queen below with the one or two frames of brosd, the vacancies at the sides 8 frames (of brood peing filled with empty combs,’ failing which eierapt ieee ies full sheets of foundation. Cut out all queen side. cells at the same time, if there are any, and search for and destroy any queen cells, on We eee on eases the eighth or ninth day afterwards, that may 5 frames ot bieed be found in the second story. The brood frames (larvae)and Queen in in the second story, as soon as the brood centre of & frames of hatches out, will be used by the bees for stor- drawn comb, ing honey. Add other supers above the second I 1 story, as needed, ° N ae HIVES USED IN THE KOOTENAYS. “KOOTENAY” HIVE CASE. Permanently packed. There are 3 inch- es of packing below the floor and on all four sides. The flat cover is 3-8 inch larger all around than the top of the case, and small triangular blocks nailed in each corner inside raise it and ensure permanent ventilation. ‘lifts’ are all alike, and as supers are put on are added as necessary. ‘In this hive-case the bees are warmer in winter and cooler in summer. When packing for winter all that is necessary is to add the top covering over the frames. Double-wall hives. The stories or | , Hive-cases that take ordinary single wall hive-bodies, permanently packec as far as the brood-chamber and coveret in, have been found an improvement or the double-wall hives for this section oi British Columbia, ° 2 Single wall hives. ELECTRI< EMBEDDER. Defail of \lires. keene Same ee Geel Covergd Wire: Connection covered with ingvlating Tape INTHE GENT FORM Usingle Flexible i The second method, which is a variation of the Demaree plan, is im some respect preferable ty the first, and is worked as follows: When the bees cover all the frames in the brood chamber, some: time in May, find the queen and place her with two frames of brood in the centre of a second story, over a queen excluder, adding empty combs, or frames containing full sheets of fsundation, at the sides. Put in frames. containing built out combs or full sheets of foundation, at the sides of the brood combs left below. The bees will usually build queen cells below the excluder, all but one of which shsuld be destroyed on the eighth or ninth day afterwards. After the young queen has hatched below, and is. mated and laying, the old queen above can be removed. If she is pravided . * with two or three frames of brood and put into Variation of Qemaree: Vas . a fresh hive on a new stand this wiil make'a ; good nucleus. The old queen however,'can be left until the combs below are partly filled with - brood. By this method, if carefully follawed, Super it is scarcely possible for the bees: to swarm, the old queen being above the excluder, with ample room for egg laying. A powerful colony can by this means be built up in readiness for 2 frames of brood | the honey flow in July, and a young queer (larvae) and Queen in assured to each hive so treated every year. centre of 8 fiames of . drawn comb. ' After the old queen is removed from the second story queen cells may possibly be built there. Zinc Queen Excluder If so these should be destrzyed on the eight or ninth day afterwards. A colony headed by a ae popes - oe queen of the current year does not swarm as comb, one on each | @ General rule, Bees will not usually build side. queen cells when an all-wire queen excluder is eee used, but will alntost’ invariably do so, either y above or bélow a zinc ex¢luder if there is brool in the queenless part. wee ae ; Another plan for swarm prevention, which has the merit sf simplicity, is to remove or cage the queen, when the bees are strong enough to make preparations for swarming, and cut out all queen cells but one on the eighth or ninth day afterwards, When swarms issue there are methods that may be followed and.a g-od crop of honey obtained, as well as increase of ‘colonies. When as much increase, as possible is desired the well. known plan of hiving the swarm in a new hive on the old stamd, transferring the supers to it, and dividing up the brsod' frames into two-frame nuclei, with a queen - ‘cell to each, is good procedure. For moderate increase the following directions can be put ints practice: After a first, or prime swarm issues, (1) Move old hive to a fresh stand. (2) Hive swarm in‘a new hive on the old stand, on built sut combs, or full sheets of foundation, (3) Transfer supers to swarm. (4) On the third or fourth day afterwards transfer four or five frames of sealed brood from the old hive to the swarm after cutting out all the queen cells they may contain. Put these in the second story over queen excluder. (If, preferred the old queen, that is with the swarm, may be taken ‘away at this stage, ani a queen cell or new- ly hatched queen substituted which should prevent the possibility of second swarming. A variation of this method, which is sometimes followed, is to place ‘tthe old hive close to the swarm, that has been hived on the original stand, cand face it the same way. A week later the old hive is moved to a new location, ten'feet or more distant. The swarm is by this means further ‘strengthened with the flying bees from the old hive, and the latter will be ‘too weakenel to swarm apain. ‘When a first swarm isswes and increase is not required a very g 701 ‘plan is to remove all the brood from below and place it in a top story above the supers. Then return the swarm to the old brood chamber, that has been filled with empty combs, vr full sheets of foundation, below a ‘queen excluder, Cut out all the queen cells in the brood frames above ‘and also any more that may be built there, on the eighth or ninth day afterwards. Or a small entrance can be given above so that a young queen ‘can fly out and get mated and then be used to replace the old queen below. If this is done it would be advisable to use another queen excluder so as to confine the young queen t the top story and so prevent her from laying ‘eggs in the super. One of the largest prolucers of honey in the province, who uses eight frame hives, manages them as follows: All queens are clipped and allowed access to two hive-bodies (sixteen ‘Langstroth frames) a queen excluder being placed above the sec-nd one. ‘One additional deep hive-body only is used as a super, the combs from which are removed and extracted as soon as they are filled with honey, and then replaced, to be extracted again and again as soon ag ready, When ‘a swarm comes out it is returned to the same hive, all queen cells but one being destroyed, and the old queen killed. When adopting this: method it will doubtless be found necessary to use more than one super in most localities so that the honey will then have a better chance of being rirened end sealed over by the bees, _THE PRODUCTION OF EXTRACTED HONEY. Extracted h-ney is mostly produced by using the ordinary deep Langstroth frames in the supers, although shallow extracting frames 4% inches in depth are sometimes used as well. The latter are made 4% in, deep so as to be interchangeable with hanging section frames. If a good supply of built out combs is on hand, this being a beekeeper’s most valuable asset, large yields of honey can be obtained, in spite of the honey flows being of short duration in the Kootenays, provided that the hives are at full strength, and this is maintained while the flow is on. It is im- portant to keep on adding supers as soon as the bets require more room, which it is better in this climate, to place on the top, instead of between. -Three deep supers will generally be found sufficient and need to be kept in readiness. When filled these will contain about 150Tbs, of honey. The largest quantity of extracted honey reported as having been taken from cne hive in the Kootenays, in a ee season, was 342 pounds, at Castlegar in 1918. THE PRODUCTION OF SECTIONS.AND CHUNK HONEY Comparatively few of the Kootenay beekeepers have as yet started ‘to produce sections and chunk honey, although there, is ‘a Bood demand fot both. Bees will commence work in sections more readily if they are al ternated with extracting frames, especially if these contain built out combs. For this purpose hanging section frames made to take, preferably 4Y4,x44,x1¥% inch, plain, or no-bee-way sections are required, with two ene (ee hanging fence separators to each. If shallow frames are used full sheets of super foundation may be put in them and the combs can then be cut out and sold as chunk honey, or they may be extracted in the usual way. They should not be wired. : The most perfect sections, that are mostly free from pop-holes, are usually obtained by using top and bottom starters. The top starter cf thin super foundation should be about 3% inches in depth, placed in the centre, and firmly fixed at the top and sides, and the bottom starter about 54 inch deep. The space between each should be not less than 1% inch nor mare than % inch. An easy and expeditious way of fastening the foundation is to use liquid wax, melted on the top of hot water, preferably in a double boiler. An ordinary glue-pot can be used for this purpose and kept heated over a small oil or spirit stove. Water is put in with the wax in the top boiler, and a brush about % inch wide, cut in the shape of a wedge, is required, which is dipped down low enough to reach well into the water every time it is used. The hot water with the wax keeps the brush from cooling too quickly and getting clogged. A very thin layer of wax can be quickly laid on by this means. It is a good plan. to coat all the inside or the section with wax at the same time which will make it easier for the bees to form their attachments when building comb. The inside cf frames might with advantage be treated in the same way. After embedding the wires in the foundation in the frames they can also be covered with a thin coating of wax, if this work has been done with a spur embedder. If, however, an electric embedder is used, which does the best work, this will not be necessary. A NEW ELECTRIC EMBEDDER. A new type of electric embedder has been designed and has proved a great success. It is so simple that anyone can make it at a small cost. It does first class work expeditiously and more satisfactorily than if per- formed with a spur embedder. Only a little practice is necessary to get into the way of using it. The wires will then be firmly embedded and waxed over in the centre of the foundation greatly adding to its strength aud rendering it less liable to stretch or break down from the weight of the bees while being built out into comb. The material required is two 22 inch lengths of.single flexible electric lighting cord and two pieces of stout insulated wire, such as is used for outloor wiring, about seven inches long, the latter being for holding in the hands. A small loop is made at one end of each of the two flexible wires, so that they can be attached to two'dry cell batteries. The other is joined to one ena of the stouter insulated wire, which has a losp made for this purpose. The other ends are stripped of the insulating material for about three quarters of an inch and are flattened with a hammer or filed to a chisel point. All is then ready for use after being attached to two dry cell batteries. The frame, already wired and filled with foundation, is laid on the board ordinarily used for the spur embedder. Commence at one end of each wire and hold the chisel points against it a few inches apart. As soon as the wire becomes heated and melts the wax sufficiently lift the point at one end, so as to break the circuit, pressing the wire into the middle of the foundation at the other, and holding it in this position until the, melted wax has cooled, which is almost instantaneous. Then start off again. The length of wire that can be embedded at one operation depends on the strength of the current, and also on the tightness of the wires. The wires should be as tight as possible. If there is much embedding to be done and electric lighting current is available this can ‘be used instead of ‘the dry-cell batteries. In this case, it will be necessary to make a crheostat, or transformer, so as to reduce the voltage. This can be arranged by passing the current through an ordinary electric flat- -iron, but a better way is tz pass it through water in a quart glass jar. An Economy ‘or Mason jar answers well. Two coarse perpendicular wires, reaching from top to bottom, are fixed Inside the jar so that they cannot touch each other. The connectionswith the embedder are made at the top of these wires. The jar is filled with water and a little salt is added, it may be as much as half a teaspoonful, which will bring the current up to the strength required to do the work. This current will be found more regular than from the dry-cell batteries which are gradually getting weaker all the time. The strength of the current should not be great enough to make the wires too hot and is regulated by the amount of salt which requires do be added a little at a time until it is fsund to be just right. PREPARATION OF HONEY FOR MARKET. Honey for the retail trade is usually put up in either upright screw- ‘cap glass jars, holding 12 or 16 ounces net, or metal pails with levers lids, of four or five pounds capacity, net. Members of the Beekeepers’ Associa- tion can obtain the Association registered h-mey labels, specially designed for use thereon. Cans holding 60tbs, are a handy size for storing honey: and selling it in bulk. Sections are generally sold just as they are taken from the hives, after being scraped free from propolis and wax. It would be an improvement, however, if they were put up in cartons so as to protect them from dust and insects. Chunk honey, also called “bulk comb honey,” is comb honey cut into strips and put into glass jars the space at the sides being filled with liquid extracted honey. The latter requires to be heated first of all to about 130 degrees (Fah.) and kept at that tem: perature for two or three hours so as to retard granulation as long as possible. FEEDING AND FEEDERS. Feeding, to some extend, is as a rule, necessary every year in the Kootenays. June being sometimes a wet month, the bees may be unable to obtain sufficient food from outside in which case they will require to be fed. Syrup feeding in early spring is often essential also, equal parts of sugar and water being given at these periods. If sufficient honey for winter, about 30tbs., is not left in the hives at the time of extracting, it will be necessary to feed syrup, two parts of sugar to one of water, to make up the deficiency. This feeding which should be as rapid as pos: . sible should be finished by the end of September, but if not then by the miidle of October, at the latest, so that the bees are able to store and seal it over in the combs before the weather gets too cold. A good feeder can be made out of a four or five pound lever lid honey pail. About a dozen small holes, just about large enough to pass an ordinary pin through, are pierced in the lid. It is then filled with syrup and inverted over the feed-hole that has been cut in the centre of the quilt. A glass Mason jar with the lid perforated in the same way also makes an excellent feeder, only in this case a small wooden Platform covered with screen wire has ts be made so as to provide a bee- way under it. Dry sugar feeding with brown sugar auswers well for supply- ing colonies in need in June and is good for stimulating nuclei. The ary sugar feeder is made by nailing a thin piece of board on each side of a —13 — Langstroth frame, the greater part of the top bar being sawn out so that the sugar can be put in and the bees able to take it from the top. It is intended to hang at one side of the hive and has the advantage of not requiring attention for some time as it will contain five pounds of sugar. Candy is a make-shift and only used for feeding bees when the weather is. too cold, for them to be able tz take syrup. WINTERING, Bees require to be packed for winter about the end of October, be- fore the snow comes, and then left undisturbed until the following spring. Entrances may need looking to cccasionally during the winter in case they should get clogged with dead bees which can be raked out with a bent wire. Bees in single-walled hives, if weli provided with good food, will come sately through the winter, as a general rule, if several thicknesses of sacking are tied round outside anid covered with tar paper to keep out the wet. A hive-body half filled with sacks makes a goéd porous top covering. If double-walled hives, or hive- cases, as previously described, are used, all that is then necessary is to add sufficient top covering, about six inches in depth, over the frames. It is a good plan to leave the queen excluder on all the winter. If it is reversed, it will provide a double bee-space and thus ensure a clear pass- age way over the combs. The bees require about thirty pounds of sealed stores to carry them through the winter. Any honey dew the bees may have stored should be removeil from the hives, and kept for spring feeding, honey, or sugar syrup, being substituted. With porous coverings, winter entrances for strong colonies are best left about eight inches long by three-eighths of an inch deep, for weaker colonies this can be reduced to three or four inches. Non-porous coverings necessitate a larger entrance. Experiments carried out with packed hives by the Bureau of En‘o- mology, United States Department of Agriculture, have shown that much heat is lost from unprotected hive b:ttoms. It is stated that “failure to insulate the bottom of the hive largely offsets the value of insulation around the hive in the wintering of bees. Experiments c:nducted with a number of insulated hives showed that much heat was lost from the unprotected hive bottom. Beekeepers have repeatelly claimed that .ex- cessive insulation is even more detrimental in winter than insufficient in- sulation, because of the failure of the colony to warm up