Hey Gang,
        Here is the article:
 
                        Wintering Bees In Montana
          How B.F. Smith, Jr., Prevents Serious Winter Losses
                           By Kennith Hawkins
 
 
        Despite the low temperatures of the wind-swept Northwest in winter,
B.F. Smith, Jr., one of the most successful roducers of comb honey in
Montana, has worked out a plan of applying winter protection to his bees
which has reduced losses to one percent or less over a period of 6 years.
 
        The method adopted by Mr. Smith might not work in other than the
"dry" climates of the inter-mountain States, but have been proven successful
on apiaries aggregating a total of 600 colonies of bees. These experiments
have been continued since 1914, being applied the first winter to 320
colonies of bees. For the winter of 1919-1920 the methods were used on 600
colonies of bees, with excellent success.
 
        The 10-frame hives containing bees are set into pairs by Mr. Smith,
the covers removed and a 4-inch tray placed over each hive, this tray having
a bottom of cloth to prevent packing sifting down between the hive frames.
The trays are filled with planer shavings and sawdust, loosely packed, and
the inner covers set on top. Two thicknesses of paper are placed over the
hives, the one next to the hive being a red rosin-sized building paper. Over
this is placed one thickness of tar paper, and on top of the hive a
thickness of tar paper is placed, all being secured in place with lath.
 
        Since Mr. Smith operates entirely for comb honey, one might expect a
little poorer wintering if consideration is given to the fact that in most
honey-comb operations, the queens are restricted for room and consequently
there might not be the quantity of young bees in the hive in fall that one
might desire. However, the loss of one percent of the bees annually in six
years, indicates colonies are in good condition in the fall.
 
        The packing material is fairly dry, will pack without too many air
spaces between the particles. It is easily accessible in Montana. The
packing is never put in tight, and being placed directly over the cluster,
operates to some extent  as an absorbent of moisture given off by the
cluster. One thing of importance is that only part of the apiaries included
in this experiment have wind protection, and the difference in winter losses
between those protected and those afforded no protection has been
negligible, Mr. Smith says. Anyone who doubts that heavy snows do not fall
in Montana at times, in spite of the low rainfall in the State may correct
this impression by a glance at the accompanying photographs. (Photo 1 is a
wide shot of lots of hives with lots of snow. Photo 2 is a closeup of four
hives. Two are wrapped with tar paper held on with lath, the other two are
bare deeps with a super on top. The caption says "B.F. Smith fills supers
with absorbent material and wraps two colonies together in heavy paper".)
The reader should remember that the experiment involved the use of some 600
colonies of bees.
 
        A study of the climatological peculiarities of Montana affords an
interesting sidelight on this wintering plan. The average annual rainfallfot
the State at Bozeman from 1880 to 1910 was but 19.29 inches. Heaviest
precipitation came in May and June, with fairly heavy average annual fall
rains in September and October, over this entire period.
 
        The average first killing frost, at Billings, near Mr. Smith, comes
about September 10, and the last killing frostabout May 2, according to
reports of the Montana Experiment Station.
 
        From weather reports, 1919 seems to have been an average season, so
far as temperatures are concerned. U.S. Weather Bureau reports show that the
mean growing temperature for April was 48.6 degrees F., for May 57.6
degrees, for June 69.2 degrees and for July 72.4 degrees. The mean minimum
temperature , for Bilings, over a period of 15 years, ranges from 0 to 20.9
degrees F, in January; from -4.6 to 21 degrees F in February; from 15.7
degrees F to 27.4 degrees F in November and from 3.2 degrees F to 20.8
degrees F in december.
 
        Mr. Smith succeeds in wintering successfully in his climate by
following  the plans enumerated: Vigorous queens, plenty of young bees in
fall, adequate stores, reduced entrances, supers removed, packing applied by
shavings above the cluster and a double row of wrapping paper surrounding
all colonies, rosin-sized paper within, tar paper without all, paper
fastened to hives by nailed lathe. Hives are 10 frame, set together for
wrapping in pairs, covers are removed, inner cover topping off packed super
above brood-chamber.
 
        Best of all is the honey test, and those who are aquainted with Mr.
Smith know that he ships many thousands of pounds af honey nearly every
year. He is located in the Clark's Fork Valley, which is well stocked with
bees now. There are many good locations in other parts of Montana and as Mr.
Smith is  too busy to answer correspondence, information can probably be
gotten by addressing the State Entemologist Experiment Station, Bozeman,
Montana.
 
 
Boy, am I glad I live in Florida!!!
 
God Bless,
Kelley Rosenlund  [log in to unmask]
Gainesville, Fla. U.S.A., 83 hives