WINTERING. 



496 



WINTERING. 



air passing througrh all the air-passages, yet have 

 kept up a sufficiently high temperature lialf the 

 time without fire. 



Two years ago I darkened all the windows in the 

 bee-house above, and partially opened a trap-door 

 which leads by means of a stairway alongside of the 



-> 

 -> 





Fresti Air 





F 



'■-^ 



ri^.3. 



Horizontal plan showing scheme of ventilation. 

 Room B has solid concrete walls to prevent danger 

 from fire from the stove at C. Under the stove is 

 the sub earth- ventilator opening that supplies fresh 

 air, which, if too cold, is warmed and then forced 

 through the distributing-Bues D D D D, which are 

 perforated by one inch holes. The Hues D D are 

 closed at the ends, and all air must pass out at the 

 holes indicated by the arrows. F F are ventilators 

 carrying foul air and moisture by means of flues ex- 

 tending through the roof. 



center compartment to the cellar Boor. This, how- 

 ever, gave too rapid variations in temperature and 

 was abandoned. During 'the last strong gale, with 

 the wind reaching a velocity of over 60 miles an 

 hour, within 24 hours a change from .^Q to 12° was ex" 

 perienced; while there was a variation of ODly2V2° 

 in the cellar without any alteration of the ventilat" 

 ing dampers. 



WINTERING BEES IN CLAMPS. 



In parts of the country where the soil is 

 saudv and porous, bees are often wintered in 



trenches dug in the ground. These are 

 about 18 inches deep, large enough to hold 

 two rows of ten hives each. The hives are 

 set upon 2 x 4"s to keep them off the ground. 

 Three of these are used, one at eaeh side and 

 one in the middle, with the flat or wide side 

 down. The bottoms are removed from the 

 hives, and the covers raised half an inch or 

 so to provide upward ventilation. About 18 

 inches of straw is thrown over the hives, 

 and then the dirt shoveled on. The engrav- 

 ings shown on next page illustrate the plan 

 as practiced by E. D. Townsend, of Remus, 

 Michigan. The first engraving shows the 

 dirt partly shoveled away and some of the 

 hives removed. The next illustration shows 

 all of the hives removed in the spring from 

 the pits or clamps and set on their summer 

 stands. It would seem as though there 

 ought to be some provision made for venti- 

 lation : but when it is remembered that the 

 soil is sandy and very porous, it is seen that 

 this is not necessary. This plan can not be 

 made use of in a location where the soil is 

 composed largely of clay. Mr. Townsend 

 thinks that it is well to have surface drains 

 along each side of the pits to carry off any 

 water that may come that way. 



WHAT TO DO WHEy BEES SPIiI^^G- 

 BWINDLE OUTDOOES. 



In the spring, especially when cold and 

 backward, many weaker colonies begin to 

 dwindle, and so rapidly that some will have 

 onlv about a dozen bees or so with their 



DAVIDSON S CONCRETE BEE-CELLAR. 



