Since the outside of the winter case is quite different an appearance from the hives the bees often are somewhat confused. 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 cases; this will serve to help the bees in orienting themselves during flights in winter and especially in spring. 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 (fig. 3). They will not be amiss during the summer, and, if properly placed, they need not interfere with movement through the apiary during the summer's work, while they add to its attractiveness. INSULATION OF THE HIVE. AMOUNT OF PACKING NEEDED. It is impossible to insulate bees too heavily during the winter. It is obvious, however, that the beekeeper will not want to put on more packing than is practically necessary. For a climate such as that of Washington, D. C., it is found desirable to provide 4 inches of packing underneath the hives, 6 inches on all sides, and 8 or more inches on top. In warmer climates less will be needed, but the beekeeper must not think that simply because he lives south of Washington he can be safe with less packing or none at all. There are many places farther south than Washington where more packing is needed, and there are, indeed, few places except along the Gulf or in southern California where less may be used if the best results are to be obtained. For more northern localities more protection is needed. The amount indicated for Washington has been used with success in places as cold as northern Ohio and even in Canada, but in these places the insulation during the coldest seasons is usually augmented by heavy snows. These are not at hand every winter, or may be lacking during the coldest part of the winter, and it is, therefore, wise to provide more packing, especially on the sides and top. For a climate such as that of New York or Wisconsin, 8 inches of good packing on the sides and 1 foot on the top probably will be enough for good wintering every year. The amounts recommended for the different zones of the United States are given in Table I (p. 15). A belief is current among many amateur beekeepers that good results may be obtained by using hives which have 2 inches of packing built in the sides and somewhat more on top. This amount is insufficient in winter in all parts of the country except the southern portions of the Gulf States. A common practice is to wrap some straw or corn fodder around the hives, but this may do more harm than good if the wind can blow directly through it. A covering of roofing paper with perhaps a little paper packing underneath is practically worthless in insulating value. TYPES OF PACKING MATERIAL.