PKPTEMBER 15, 1015 



755 



DauiL-lbuu'b 1 I'J cc'luniuii ill u 11 x -8 



have a four-inch liay witli burlap bottom, 

 filled with planer shavings over them. Over 

 that I folded tar paper that comes well 

 down the hives with the excelsior cover on 

 top. Is it not an advantage to put a set of 

 combs full depth under a colony of bees 

 before the winter sets in, even if there is 

 not a drop of honey in them? It seems to 

 me as if they would be better protected 

 from the cold winds, and they would not 

 be as apt to come out on bright cold days. 

 If there is any objection to this plan I 

 should like to know it. 

 Sabetha, Kan. 



(cllur, whicli wintered '.v itliout loss. 



[This plan has been tried before, but we 

 do not recall any other definite report as 

 to its value. We should suppose the en- 

 trances would have to be guarded by wire 

 screen with mesh large enough to let the 

 bees in and out, but small enough to keep 

 the ndce out — otherwise there would be 

 danger that the mice would revel on the 

 exposed combs and destroy many of them. 



If any honey were left in the combs in 

 the spring, would there not be danger of 

 robbing? 



If any of our readers have had any 

 practical experience with ihe plan we should 

 be glad to hear from them. — Ed.] 



A SUCCESSFUL CONCRETE BEE -CELLAR 



liow a Low Temperature and Damp Atmosphere were Overcome 



UY J. I. DANIELSON 



T am sendiuj^ you a flashlight picture of 

 my bee-cellar liiat I built last October, 

 which is 14 x 2S ft., with a building of the 

 same dimensions. It is ventilated by a five- 

 inch tile running 120 ft. from the cellar, in 

 which the fresh air comes through and the 

 damp foul air passes out through a trap- 

 door in the floor above. But even with this 

 ventilation the cellar has been a little damp. 



I put 140 colonies in the cellar Dec. 10 

 and 11. There was snow on the hi\ es which 

 we could not sweep off, .so it also went into 

 tiie cellar with the bees. It soon melted, 

 and caused some dampiiess. 



The cellar-walls are made of cement, 



whicii did not get thoroughly dried. There 

 were large drops of water all ovei- the wall 

 and floor above. 



The floor is of one-inch lumber which is 

 not frost-proof by any means. It turned 

 cold in a day or two, the thermometer regi-s- 

 teiing 10 degrees below outside, and the 

 temj)eiature in the cellar was below the 

 freezing-point. The walls and ceiling were 

 covered with frost. I was thiidving the cold 

 weather would not last long; but it hung on 

 for several days. The idea struck me, that 

 sawdust would be a good thing to put on 

 tlie floor to keep out the frost. So I got a 

 load and spread it on about four inches 



