DOUBLE WALL HIVES FOR WINTERING AND THE FINN BEE HIVE.
It will be observed that we have among our advertisements, one of the Finn Bee Hive. In receiving this, we feel it a duty to state frankly our opinion of the matter, and then if the parties think we should, we will cheerfully return the $1.00 they have paid us for this one insertion. Of course what we say here must only be taken for our own opinion, and in the matter of selling rights we may have been unduly severe. In matters of this kind it is a very safe rule to ask ourselves if we are honestly doing as we would be done by.
If Messrs Keyes & Finn made hives for sale such as they advise and sold them for a fair price, there could certainly be no wrong, for very many bee-keepers of late stoutly affirm that bees do winter safely in hives well protected, on their summer stands, while those side by side, not so protected, perish. In order to show both sides of the question, we give the following:
They are stowed away in boxes parked with straw. Kept good in that way winter of ’72 and ’73, all that were packed early. Those that were packed in Jan. of same winter died, though stronger in bees and honey.
W. S. Lunt, Fostoria, O. Jan. 5th, 1875.
At present, Feb. 10th, 38° below zero. I put 28 hives in the cellar and have lost one. They are too cold, temperature varies from 29 to 34°. I would prefer 42° as nearly as possible to keep them. I put up 20 in rough boxes on summer stands, boxes six inches larger than hives, filled in with shavings. I have wintered so two years and never lost any. They seem in fine condition but it is quite expensive—cost me $15.00 to put up the twenty hives but think it pays well. Would like to have them all put up in the same way. One of my neighbors had three stocks in box hives and has lost them all, think the loss will be quite severe in this vicinity.
Lewis Kelly, Smyrnia, Ionia Co., Mich.
Having had the pleasure of a visit to the Apiary of J. S. Hill & Sons, near Mt. Pleasant, I will, with your permission, Mr. Editor, say a few words in regard to it. Any one entering their bee yard can see at first glance that there is the best of order, system and management. It contains 85 large Langstroth hives completely storm and weather proof, adapted alike to the storms and zero cold of winter, and the broiling sun of July and August. Perfect ventilation with no possible chance of a draft of cold air on the bees, and no danger of moisture of frost in the hive to give the bees the dysentery.
Mr. Hill having years ago been convinced that cellar wintering would not do in our changeable climate, has given a great deal of thought, time and attention to the business of out-door wintering; that he has made it a success, is proven by the fact that his loss in the past four or five years, has been very light, in fact scarcely any loss at all; while others all around him lost heavily. He manages to get them through winter, strong in numbers and is not troubled with colonies dwindling down in spring and deserting their hives, as did so many the past two years where they had been wintered in cellars and other repositories. Mr. Hill is a firm believer in strong stocks—in keeping them strong the year round—takes the position that the only sure way to have strong colonies in early spring, is to see to it that they are strong in the fall. His location is not nearly as good for honey as many others, yet the amount he takes yearly would satisfy many of us who are in more favored localities; his only dependance for surplus, is white clover, having no poplar, linden, or buckwheat, consequently the honey season is rather short, ending by July 1st. The hive used by Mr. Hill is, of course, not a dollar hive, and would perhaps be thought, by some bee-keepers, to be entirely too expensive, but all things considered I believe it to be the cheapest for out-door wintering.
Jonas Scholl,
Lyons Station, Ind. Jan. 6th, 1875.
Were we to stop here, we might think the matter settled, but why does Quinby now advise a hive with only half inch boards as a protection. His large hive was most perfectly adapted for packing material on all sides of the bees, even to a thickness of 8 or 10 inches. In the large Apiaries about him would it be fair to suppose they had abandoned this plan before giving it a fair trial? We should much like to hear from Hetherington, Elwood, and others in this matter. See letter on page [29]. The testimonials in regard to the Finn hive are none of them from practical bee-keepers such as are known through the Journals, and none of them owners of large Apiaries. If we wanted to make a hive such as they describe in their circular we assuredly should not think of buying a right for the privilege, but if they would make us a hive at a reasonable price suitable for receiving our frames, so that we could easily set a colony into one, we would prefer to buy of them rather than make one.
If Adam Grimm, and Capt. Hetherington will give their opinion in regard to double wall hives compared with single ones for out-door wintering, we will cheerfully pay any reasonable sum for service. During our protracted cold weather, many complaints have come in, in regard to ice forming in hives left out-doors, and many losses are reported already. In cases like these, we do think the straw mats a great advantage, and is it not possible that they are as efficient as the expensive double walls?