Year: 1868

lCOhT1HUED.


What consider the best 10 door arrange
ments for winter, that | have used, aud tor
this hint am indebted to NJ. Quinby, the
author of the Mysteries of Bookkeeping,
one sf the most valuable and practical Of
Bee Books is room partitioned Oft in a
cellar, specially for bees. Mine was ten
feet square. The walls were made by set.
ting up four inch scantling, mailing botrds
on both sides and filing between with saw
dust, so that the temperature would not be
suddenly affected by the external air. Il
had an opening at the top and another at
the bottom for ventilation. These open
ings were covered with wire cloth TO keep
out mice, aud shaded with cloth to keep
out the light 1t had four tiers Of shelves
all around, 80 that the hives could be set on
these like store goods. Con mon hives
were inverted on these shelves and leh
bottom up, that they might be thoroughly
ventilated. (lt is not necessary to bt
alarmed about the bees having to stand sll
winter on their heads. M0veable combs
and other hives were left quite open that
the exhalations might evaporate. In this
way | have kept from sixty to eighty colo-
nies from the FIRST OF December until March
very nicely. When the mercury is below
zero out of doors, in such room it would
be fifty degrees above. | have frequently
gone into my bedroom in extremely cold
weather to warm myself by the heat OF nay
bees and listen to their gentle hum.


The amount of honey consumed in these
three months, by colony kept in this
manner averages from eight to ten pounds. 8


In the absence Of such a room, when
there are but a few hives to be housed,
they could be set in the corner of o dry
cellar where there are no decaylng vegota~
bles, nor where there would be no pouuds
ings or motions to jar them in the least,
for this always keeps them in motion, and
quiet is very essential. It is well also to
keep them well covered or shaded, so thas
not the least ray OF light could fall on
them. Towards Spring, when they begin
to feel u strong inclination to by out to
empty themselves, if there come several
days of warm weather, and the bees SEQ
the light they will leave their hives and ly
to it. and will fail to return.


Care should be taken to set the bees out
in fine day when they can fly without be.
ing chilled, at o time when it is supposed
that severe freezing over, generally about
the first of March.


When the bees are set out, or at any
time that they ere disposed to fly in chilly
weather when the ground is wet around the
hives or light snow has fallen, it is ad>
yantageods to spread some hay or straw for
them 70 alight upon.


If bees are wintersd out Of doors, they
should always have small opening in the
eide of the hive some distance up from tho
bottom. Such an opening will always pre-
vent sutfocation should the hive become
frozen air-tight below. The best plan [
| know for protection on the summer stand,
is to set them close together, near the
ground. Set UP boards to make box all
around them foot higher than the hives,
leaving space of foot or more between
the boards and the sides OF the hives. In.
nto this space and en- the top of the hives
pack saw-dust or thaf. If there are holes
in the top of each hive and cap or box
set over them, it will help to ventilate and
| rid them of moisture, as it would rise from
the bees into this cover and settle on the
sides of it and run out under its edges, iu-
stead Of running down again amongst the
bees Or if there were a tube or open.
iDgs from the top of the hives up into the
open air it would be Of some advantage
All should te well sheltered. Bore hole
with an inch auger in the center of the
front OF the hive. This tube should be
long enough to extend through the chat
and will answer as an entrance tor the bees
and for ventilation. The tube could bs
made of narrow strips Of board, nailed to-
getfer and secured carefully to the sides OF
the hive so as to be always opposite the
hole in the hive. This could BE done by
mailing strips of leather to the tube and to
the side of the hive, or by & small cross
strip fastened to the side Of the end of ths
tube. Drive screws through this strip into
the hive. Be careful to keep this tube al
ways open. In the spring lay them aside
for future use.


IonErINrEn