People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-12-16
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BEE CELLARS.
What One Man Thinks About Ventilation
for Bees

What One Man Thinks About Ventilation
for Bees.
A few years ago ''subearth" ventila-
ton of bee cellars was almost universally
recommended. Nearly every one who
built bee cellar also buried 200 or 300
feet Of draintile; the outer end open to
the air and the inner end entering the
cellar. To remove the air from the cell
lar a pipe, connecting with a stovepipe in
the room above, extended down through
the floor to within few inches of the
cellar bottom. The draft in the stove
pipe pulled up" the air from the cellar,
and more flowed in through the sub
earth pipe to take its place. On passing
through the subearth pipe the air was
warmed. If there was no stovepipe with
which to connect the outlet pipe it was
extended upward until it reached the
open air. The air in the cellar, being
warmer than the outside air, flowed out
Of the upper ventilator.
In order to keep the temperature even
there was much opening and closing of
the ventilating tubes. In cold weather
it was often necessary to leave the open
ings closed several days, or even weeks.
At such times it was noticed that the
bees suffered no inconvenience. Not
only this, but it was often noticed that
when the ventilators were opened the
thrush of fresh, cool air aroused the bees
and made them uneasy. Finally the
ventilators were opened less and less
still no bad results-and at last they
We're left closed nearly all the time.
The amount Of air needed by bees
varies greatly, according to circum-
stances. When they are excited and
full of honey, as is the case with a work
ing swarm, the amount of air needed is
very great. IF they can be kept quiet
very little air will suffice. In winter
bees are in q semidormant state, closely
bordering upon Information, as that
word is popularity understood, and the
amount of air necessary for their main
tenance is very slight. | believe it was
Mr.. D. S. Adiar, who, number of years
ago, removed a box of surplus honey
from hive, and leaving the bees in
possession pasted several layers Of paper
over the entrance to the box. AS all the
cracks and crevices were stopped with
propolis the box was practically air.
tight. The bees were kept confined sew
eral days, yet did not apparently suffer
for want Of air.
Mr.. Hedden tells of some man who,
wishing to ''take up" some of his colo
MES in the fall, plastered up the entrance
with blue clay, expecting to kill the
bees by suffocation. Upon opening the
hive few days later the bees few right
merrily, to the discontinue of their
owner. have several times wintered
bees successfully in 'clumps" where the
bees were buried two feet deep under
frozen earth. Professor Cook even went
so far as to Theoretically seal up two
colonies by throwing water over the
hives and allowing it to freeze, thus
forming coating of ice over the hives.
The bees survived this treatment.
Special ventilation, simply for the
sake of securing fresher or purer air,
seems to be almost unnecessary. The
few beekeepers whosplead for special
ventilation d2fso ral'eaoat wholly upon
the ground TIA Hey Breby more
readily controlNthe temp g~Cure. If the
bee repositories are built sufficiently
underground il does not seem as though
ventilation would be very much needed
for controlling temperature. When bees
settle down into that quiescent state es-
sential for successful wintering their
need Of air is very slight indeed. When
their winter nap, is ended, and spring
arouses them to activity and brood rear
ing, more air is needed. It is then, if
ever, that special ventilation is a bene-
fit, but as all that is needed can be so
easily secured by the occasional open
ing Of doors or windows at night, if it
ever becomes really necessary, it scarce
ly seems worth while to go to the ex-
pense of laying subearth pipes. should
not do it or advise it.-Exchange.