228 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



No. 3. Wintering in a root-house. This experiment was fairly satisfactory, but 

 the hives were too damp. An effort is being made this year to keep the hives drier, by 

 having more ventilation at the bottom. 



No. 4. Wintering in a pit out of doors. This experiment was satisfactory, but is 

 being tried this year without filling up the pit with loose straw as was done last year, 

 and two inches of space have been left both at the back and in the front of the hives for 

 better ventilation. 



No. 5. Wintering in a closed shed, the hives being merely protected with a double 

 thickness of sacks above and all round them. This experiment was a failure. The cold 

 of winter destroyed most of the bees, very few being alive in spring. The experiment 

 is tried again this winter with the hives placed farther from the outside wall and with 

 more protection against frost. 



House Apiary. 



An experiment was carried on in a wood-shed, a part of which was partitioned off 

 for that purpose and is now called the House Apiary. 



This house apiary opens into a yard that is 30 by 60 feet, surrounded by a close 

 board fence 6 feet high, which gives an excellent shelter from prevailing winds. Both 

 the south and east sides of the shed are covered with grape vines, which seem to keep 

 the building cool during the very hot weather, and the vines are trained so as to leave 

 the entrances perfectly clear. One part of the space in the shed devoted to this purpose 

 faced the south-east and was 7 feet high, 6 feet long and 4 feet wide. 



In this portion were placed two tiers of hives ; the bottom tier was set on the floor, 

 which is one foot from the ground and double-boarded. The second tier was set on a 

 shelf 3 feet 6 inches from the floor. 



Another portion of the shed facing the south-west 7 feet high, 4 feet wide and 32 

 feet long. There were here 12 hives in one row upon the floor. 



From the experience of the past year gained with the part first mentioned, I would 

 recommend two tiers on the south-west side, so that the vacant space might be profit- 

 ably occupied. The entrances to the hives were 3 feet apart and were cut through the 

 wall of the shed ; they were 6 inches by 6 inches, with an alighting board projecting 7 

 inches by 1 2 inches wide and sloping so as to throw off rain. The hives are set close to 

 the wall, so as to confine the bees to their own hives. 



Conclusions. — During the past two summers the colonies in the house apiary, 

 which is surrounded by an inclosed yard, having more shelter from the cold winds of 

 both spring and autumn, were frequently observed to be flying, while the colonies in the 

 exposed open apiary remained in their hives. 



Another advantage of this arrangement is that there is less danger of robbing. 

 When the hives are being inspected the examination is obviously more convenient in 

 wet weather, being under shelter ; further, if the apartment were made 6 feet wide, 

 instead of 4 feet, and a shelf placed on the wall to hold bee appliances, this would add 

 greatly to its convenience. The alighting board might be made to project only 6 inches 

 and be 10 inches wide. 



