302 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



lot of bees. Of course, if you mean that 

 the hole is to be opened to cool the bees 

 off when they get too hot, then 1 can 

 agree with you. 



SUB-EARTH VENTILATION. 



Let me say to those who are thinking- 

 of building- new cellars or repairing old 

 ones, that if a proper system of ventila- 

 tion is adopted, and the other conditions 

 are made right, there is no necessity for 

 losing a single colony in wintering. 1 

 have not only worked this out theoreti- 

 cally, but have also given it a pretty 

 thorough test in a practical way. If any 

 one is having trouble with his cellar, let 

 him read this carefully; it is worth re- 

 membering. 



REQUISITES FOR SUCCESSFUL CELLAR- 

 WINTERING. 



1. Make the cellar all underground. 

 It is the earth that keeps the temperature 

 nearly constant. If on a hillside, bank it 

 up. 



With saw dust or other material make 

 the top frost proof. 



3. Make the ceiling and upper part of 

 the cellar tight — air tight if possible. 

 Plaster the ceiling and walls. Use 

 double doors and windows, or bank up 

 outside. 



4. Make a sub-earth ventilator of tile 

 six or eight inches in diameter and ex- 

 tending at least 50 feet in the direction 

 from which the prevailing wind comes; 

 that is, to the west or southwest. If 

 there is a hillside, it may extend down 

 the hill. The tile should be placed be- 

 low the frost line, and it should enter 

 near the cellar floor. There should be 

 some means of partly closing the outside 

 entrance to the tile so as to regulate the 

 current of air in cold weather. A wire 

 screen would help to keep out mice. 



5. Make another sub-earth ventilator 

 like the first, only shorter, and place it 

 on the opposite side of the cellar. This 

 is for the air to pass out. If you prefer, 

 you can provide for the exit of air as 

 follows: Build a chimney from the 

 bottom of the cellar and make an open- 

 ing near the cellar floor into the chimney. 



Also make another hole into the chimney 

 near the ceiling, to be opened only when 

 the air gets too warm. Don't put a stove 

 into the cellar. You will not need it. 

 Neither will any lime be needed, as the 

 temperature and humidity will both be 

 just right. The bottom boards may be 

 left on the hives if there is a reasonably 

 large entrance. 



Now, why should the ventilator be 

 extended so far underground? There 

 are two reasons: First, the wind will 

 cause a current of air to pass into and 

 out of the cellar. Even a very gentle 

 breeze will produce a perceptible flow of 

 air through the underground duct, as it 

 may be shown 'oy holding a lighted 

 candle inside the cellar where the air 

 enters. By holding the flame near the 

 inner opening of the other ventilator, its 

 deflection will show the current to be 

 outward. Secondly, if the outside en- 

 trance is kept partly closed in cold 

 weather, the air will pass through the 

 large tile very slowly, and will be 

 warmed before entering the cellar. 



RIGHT AND WRONG WAYS OF VENTILATING. 



The following will illustrate the differ- 

 ence between the right way and the 

 wrong way of ventilating. Three years 

 ago a cement block cellar was built, 14 x 

 20 x 8 ft. deep, and ducts for the enter- 

 ing air were passed straight down just 

 outside the cellar walls, and m.ade to 

 open into the cellar at the bottom. Other 

 openings were made at the top for the 

 exit of the air. By testing with the 

 flame, it was seen to be seldom that any 

 current could be detected. Moreover, 

 the bees have not wintered satisfactorily, 

 although no colonies have been lost. 

 Why was it not a success? Simply be- 

 cause the wind pressure is horizontal 

 and not downward, and because there 

 was too large an opening at the top of 

 the cellar. 



In another cellar it was found that the 

 combs would become very damp and 

 mouldy after a cold spell in winter. A 

 year and a half ago an underground 

 ventilator. 50 feet long, was installed. 



