SEES AND BEE CULTURE. 1167 



discouragement confront the apiarist. Yet the fact that some of 

 our number meet with no loss encourages us to believe that with 

 more knowledge and care loss from this cause will be unknown. 

 I have now wintered for several years in our cellar, a period 

 covering two disastrous winters, with no loss. I have known of 

 several similar cases. 



To winter bees the most successfully, every winter they 

 must be kept as inactive as possible. To secure this bees should 

 be unmolested, should be kept in a uniform temperature of from 

 35 to 45 F. about the hives, should have thirty pounds of 

 good capped stores, and should be kept all the time in a good, 

 pure atmosphere. This last requires good ventilation. I think 

 the presence of pollen in the hive will generally cause no harm, 

 but sometimes it certainly brings disease and death ; hence I 

 would advise its preclusion, for the most part, from the hives in 

 winter, especially as this causes little pains and trouble. 



The uniform temperature would not be necessar-y if the bees 

 could fly every week or two, so in the southern part of our 

 country bees need no protection, as they invariably winter well 

 on their summer stands ; nor is pollen harmful in such a climate. 

 In the North, during open winters, bees will winter well with no 

 protection ; but as the severe seasons come so frequently, it is 

 never wise to neglect preparation for the most rigorous season. 



To secure the uniform temperature some use chaff hives. 

 These are simply double-walled hives, with a filling of dry saw- 

 dust or chaff. With this arrangement a four or six inch wall 

 bounds the bees on every side and above and below. The open- 

 ing for the bees to pass in and out exists in winter, so the bees 

 can fly if the weather induces flight. The objections to such 

 hives are cost, weight, making them heavy and awkward to 

 handle, and too frequent failure even in the hands of their best 

 friends. Yet some of our ablest apiarists praise them as most 

 desirable. 



The other way to winter is in a thick-walled house, or, bet- 

 ter, a cellar, where by proper ventilation the air can be kept 

 sweet and wholesome all the time, and yet the temperature will 

 remain invariable. The cellar is only better as the earth aids 



