DECEMBER 15, 1913 



889 



Fig.- 3. — Hives pulled up and resting on the top of the snow, three or 

 four feet above the ground. 



cut through the loose clamp snow to the 

 bare ground. 



It took us a day to dig those 300 colonies 

 out of the snow and haul them to the ware- 

 house where they could be put on the car. 

 At first we decided to leave the bees under 

 the snow and defer starting the ear until 

 after the snow had melted away; but exam- 

 ination in many cases showed that the bees 

 were suffering from the want of air, as the 

 snow was exceedingly dense and heavy, and 

 because, further, in a few instances, the 

 entrances were sealed with ice. We decided, 

 therefore, that it was best to dig the bees 

 out and put them in the warehouse, as there 

 was no knowing what would happen i£ 

 severe freezing Aveather should set in lalei'. 

 But it turned off warm, followed by slow 

 rains; and on Nov. 14 the bees started on 

 their long journey to the Southland. Mr. 

 Marchant in charge reported that the weath- 

 er was exceedingly warm, and he had some 

 difficulty in keeping the bees quiet. We had 

 planned on cold freezing weather. After 

 it began to warm up we regretted having 

 moved the bees off their summer stands. 

 But it was too late to put them back, as the 

 bees could not have been put in their orig- 

 inal location ; and the confusion of flight 

 would have been enough to cause consider- 

 able trouble as well as a heavy loss of bees 

 in the snow. We were, therefore, compelled 

 to start whether the weather conditions were 

 favorable or not, even though the bees were 

 roaring, indicating their desire to get out 

 and enjoy the warm balmy air. But all is 

 well that ends well, and the bees arrived at 



destination in good 

 condition despite thv?ir 

 noisy roaring. 



In the matter of 

 ventilation, the bees 

 were provided with a 

 wire-cloth screen on 

 top, nailed to a two- 

 inch rim and a wedge 

 screen in the entrance. 

 When we get ready to 

 move the bees from the 

 Southland to the 

 North, the bottoms will 

 be removed entirely;, 

 and a two-inch rim 

 with screen will be se- 

 cured to the top and 

 bottom of each hive. 

 But we had expected 

 to move the bees south 

 this winter in chilly or 

 freezing weather, and 

 it seemed unnecessary 

 to provide for more 

 ventilation than at top and entrances. 



The bottoms were secured to the hive- 

 bodies by means of double-pointed crate 

 staples (see Fig. 6). A two-inch rim with 

 wire screen was secured to. the top in the 

 same way, on the day before we expected to 

 move, or, as the sequel proved, the day be- 

 fore the big snow blizzard came on. But, 

 fortunately, we placed on top of the screens 

 ordinary super covers, and over these 

 telescope covers as seen in the accom- 



FiQ. 4. — Carrying to the wagon. 



