In the region of Washington it has been found best not to remove the packing until at least May 1. Further south or in warmer regions it may be well to remove the packing earlier, but in localities such as New York or Wisconsin (zone F) the packing should be left in place until at least May 20, and usually until June 1. Obviously this will be impossible unless two hive bodies are left on the bees all winter, or unless more room is given in the early spring, before unpacking. 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 come. By that time they should have 12 frames of brood--far more than is found in the average colony throughout the country oven in the midst of the honey-flow. Such colonies are so strong that if cooler weather comes after they are unpacked, as it sometimes does, they are not injured by it. Of course the bees would be as well of even better off if the packing could be left on throughout the year, 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 summer. The commercial double-walled hives which have been devised for this purpose are all too scant in packing material for good results, and none of them can be recommended. [Illustration: Fig. 6.--Map of the western United States, showing variation in average date of first killing frost. For each locality the recommendations for packing and unpacking are the same as in corresponding zones in figure 5. The dryer atmosphere of most of the West does not diminish the need of packing. For localities where the first frost occurs after November 25 no packing is recommended.] 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 locality. In case local conditions make the removal of the packing unnecessary as early as the dates indicated, it is entirely safe to leave the packing on until some manipulation makes it desirable to handle the combs, as this can not well be done while the hives are heavily packed. WINTER STORES. In packing bees for winter two things require attention so far as stores are concerned, and one is as important as the other: (1) There must be plenty of honey in the hive to last until the spring honey-flow, and (2) the stores which will be used by the bees during the period of confinement in winter must be of the best quality and well ripened.