SErTK^fBER, 1921 



ff T, E A N' T N a S T N BEE CULTURE 



563 



the ground and covered with a concrete 

 cap, leaving a one-inch space between the 

 top of the tile and the cap. In the cellar I 

 have a wooden ventilator connecting with 

 the tile at the ceiling and reaching to within 

 about six inches of the floor ventilators. 

 These are also equipped with a slide to regu- 

 late the size of the opening. So far I have 

 found it necessary to leave them both wide 

 open. 



This cellar has proved u grand success. I 

 wintered 300 colonies in it the first winter 

 with practically no loss, the five or six 

 colonies that were dead in the spring being 

 cither queenless or short of stores. I was 

 able to hold the temperature at 48 degrees 

 with not dvei' a half of n degree variation 

 all winter. 



%' 



Entrance to uncli>rground bee-rellar built in hillside. 

 Tt vrdild have been better to have located the cellar 

 farther back in the hill, thus affording greater pro- 

 tection from outside changes in temperature. 



Last fall I put my bees in the cellar on 

 Xov. 13, in the finest condition, I think, that 

 Ihey ever wont into winter quarters except 

 that they had no flight. The next morning 

 the thermometer stood at 48 degrees again. 



On Dec. 28 I inspected the cellar again, 

 ;ind found the thermometer still at 48 and 

 the bees quiet. 



During the first winter some moisture 

 condensed on the ceiling, but apparently it 

 did no harm. I think it was partially 

 due to the concrete not being thoroly dried 

 out; so far this winter there is no moisture 

 except near the door and around the ceiling 

 ventilators. 



1 ilid not cement the cellar fl<if)r wlicii 1 

 built the cpll;ir, as T did not know how much 



water might come in; so I let -the floor re- 

 main at it was, after leveling it and tamp- 

 ing it down hard with a tamper. I think 

 now that I would rather have the dirt floor 

 than cement, the only objection being that 

 it is a trifle harder to clean u]) the dead 

 bees in the sjjring. 



The hives are ]ilaced in two rows, one on 

 each side of the cellar, on 2x4's laid on 

 edge on top of short pieces of 2 x 4 's on 

 edge, making them eight inches from the 

 floor. I prefer to face them to the wall, 

 leaving a six-inch space between the hive 

 and the wall. They are tiered five high, 

 one on top of the other, no tier touching the 

 one next to it. I laid an inch strijj on top of 

 one of the 2x4's so as to tip the hives 

 toward the walls a little, so that moisture 

 can run out at the entrance and also that 

 the dead bees may work out to some ex- 

 tent. 



The wheelbarrow shown in front of the 

 cellar is one of my own design and is a 

 labor-saver. It carries three colonies very 

 nicely, with practically no weight on the 

 arms. While loading and unloading, the 

 hives slant some, but are kept from sliding 

 off by cleats; when the handles are raised 

 tliie hives are perfectly level. Alighting- 

 boards are all removed out in the yard, and 

 \erv few bees attempt to leave the hive 

 while in transit to the cellar. 



Tn taking the bees from the cellar in tlie 

 spring I like to heft each hive as it goes out. 

 T arrange them in three sections in the yard, 

 heavy, medium, and light; then I do not 

 have to pay any attention to any part of 

 the yard, except the light section, until the 

 weather is suitable. This method saves 

 much time in going over the whole yard and 

 hefting each hive several times till the 

 honey flow starts. 



Cl.nrksville, N. Y. 



[Tlic most important thing in the construc- 

 tion of a bee-cellar is to have it so deep in 

 the earth or so well protected that the 

 changes in the outside temperature do not 

 affect the temperature within. The trouble 

 with the ordinary cellar i;nder the house is 

 that it requires almost constant attention 

 to regulate the temperature, while a cellar 

 that is built entirely underground, as de- 

 scribed above, should need but little, if any, 

 attention as to temperature during the win- 

 ter. Where there is a building over the cel- 

 lar, similar results can be obtained by the 

 construction which is used so successfully 

 by David Eunning of Filion, Mich. In this 

 case the cellar is dug deeper in the earth, 

 and the ceiling is placed two or three feet 

 below the surface of the ground outside, 

 thus leaving a space between the ceiling of 

 the cellar and the floor of the building 

 ;il)0ve, which is partly filled with s.-iwdust 

 or planei- shavings. — Editor, i 



