26 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 



No. My ventilators consist of a chimney and sev- 

 eral tin pipes. Geo. Grimm. 



II other conditions be right, I think a ventilator 

 at the bottom of the cellar not only unnecessary, 

 but objectionable. L. C. Root. 



No. We tise no aub-earth ventilators. We do 

 not believe any good can come from them which 

 will compensate for their cost. James Heddon. 



No. A chimney extends down into the cellar; 

 and a stove set up for use, in case it is needed, will 

 gh e all the upper and lower ventilation needed. I 

 have never been annoyed with bees becoming un- 

 easy in winter, unless they were short of stores or 

 eating too much bee-bread. Dr. A. B. Mason. 



Ves. For years I kept bees in such a cellar, with 

 almost perfect success. Properly arranged it sure- 

 ly aids to keep the temperature uniform. Were I 

 sure that 1 could accomplish this easily and cheap- 

 ly, without such ventilation, then I would not ar- 

 range for it. A. .1 . Cook. 



Yes; but when I say it has been kept closed en- 

 tirely for the past three years, it will be seen that I 

 regard it of no value whatever. Were 1 to build 

 another bee-cellar, I would make no provision for 

 ventilation, as I believe enough air passes through 

 the walls and ground to meet all of the requirements 

 of the bees while in winter repose. 



G. M. DOOtitTTIiE. 



Ves. If properly put down they are beneficial. 

 They keep a more uniform temperature. At one 

 time, when the temperature outside was 17° below 

 zero, the air as it entered the cellar was :i7° above. 

 < Mir sub-earth ventilator is made of glazed sewer 

 pipe, one foot in diameter for the first hundred 

 feet; for the second hundred feet, eight inches in 

 diameter. At the end of the twelve-inch pipe is an 

 opening, to be used in moderate weather; but in 

 cold weather the whole length of the pipe is used. 

 The joints of the pipe should be securely cemented 

 to keep out the ground air, which is usually loaded 

 with moisture, and heavily charged with carbonic- 

 acid gas. The last is very variable, however. Were 

 I to put down another ventilator 1 would use six- 

 inch pipe, as being easier to make tight, and multi- 

 ply them for capacity; also, if possible, I would 

 have them extend in different directions, as the 

 direction of the wind makes a difference in the 

 draft of the pipe. 1 would also have one or more 

 of them so laid as to act as drains in case of freshet. 

 Ours is so put down, and last spring it was used to 

 nearly its full capacity. P. H. Er.woOD. 



The answers to Question 98 seem to be a 

 little bit perplexing; but Dr. Miller, Prof. 

 <'ook, and P. II. Elwood, all of whom have 

 had large experience with sub-earth venti- 

 latois, declare quite emphatically in favor of 

 them— especially friend Elwood. We hard- 

 ly know how to account for the difference in 

 testimony in regard to the value of these 

 ventilators, unless it be because of the rela- 

 tive warmth and dryness of the various cel- 

 lars, or because of the length or size of the 

 ventilators. Dr. Miller has assured us that, 

 several times when his bees seemed to grow 

 uneasy, he could quiet them by opening the 

 ventilator. We are quite loth to give up 

 the idea just yet, that the sub-earth ventila- 

 tors are not necessary or useful. 



Question 99. — a. How many colonies, according to 

 your best judgment, can he wintered with reasonable 

 asswance of success in a dry cellar, 10x10x6, frost- 

 proof, with no special means of ventilation other than 

 is afforded hy the usual cellar windows? b. How many 

 cubic feet of space in a cellar do you regard as best 

 suited for wintering 100 colonies, average strength? 



Forty. H. B. Boabdman. 



a. .lust as many as you can put in. 



Daoant & Son. 



You could safely winter 100 colonies in such a cel- 

 lar. James Heddon. 



I should say about 40. b. I should like at least 

 1:200 cubic feet. A. J. Cook. 



a. 75 or HO. b. Not less than 1000; and in my judg- 

 ment, 1200 or 1500 would be better. 



Mrs. L. Harrison. 



All other conditions being as they should be, KKI 

 colonics can be wintered in a cellar of the size 

 above mentioned. L. C. Root. 



I am a Yankee, and guess with native freedom; 

 but it would be carrying matters too far to guess 

 t he answer to this. E. E. Hasty. 



a. I do not like the proportion of the dimensions 

 you give; six feet high does not suit me. I would 

 sooner have it 10x6x10. b. This question is hard to 

 answer. I have wintered successfully 350 colonies 

 in a cellar about 30x85x8. Geo. Grimm. 



All you can get in, providing you leave at least 

 six inches of open space under each hive. Still, I 

 prefer an alleyway through the center of the cel- 

 lar, so I can pass from one end to the other occa- 

 sionally to see that all is right. 



G. M. Doolittle. 



That will depend upon the temperature at which 

 the cellar is kept, and the size of the hive they are 

 kept in. Over 2.MI in Langstroth hivesmight be kept 

 in such a cellar. I should not care for any special 

 arrangements for ventilation in such a cellar, but 

 should prefer to have not over 100 in a cellar of that 

 size. Dr. A. B. Mason. 



a. Two cellars may both answer the above de- 

 scription, and yet be very unlike as to temperature 

 and openness of wall and soil. Perhaps 40. b. The 

 more the better. Perhaps 1500 cubic feet; but best 

 arrangements for admitting plenty of pure air at 

 right temperature might make a good deal less an- 

 swer. (Mind you, 1 don't warrant my answers to 99. 

 They are taken at " purchaser's risk.") 



C. C. Miller. 



a. This depends upon so many conditions that it 

 is hard to answer. If there is a Are overhead, the 

 air of the cellar will be changed quite rapidly, per- 

 haps more rapidly than with some of the "special 

 means " of ventilation. I should say, with the aver- 

 age conditions, from thirty to fifty, b. The answer 

 to this also depends upon the cellar. Some cellars 

 require pretty heavy stocking to keep the proper 

 temperature Properly arranged, a cellar of twice 

 the above size would do. P. H. ELWOOD. 



A cellar 10x10x6 will hold from 40 to 100 

 colonies ; and 1500 cubic feet seems to be 

 about the capacity that is necessary in order 

 to winter 100 colonies. This would make a 

 cellar about 15x15x7. The answers to all 

 these questions necessarily can not be ex- 

 act ; but surely our veterans can get very 

 much nearer the truth than the average be- 

 ginner, who proposes to winter bees in the 

 cellar, can guess at it. 



