71 



Yeast, — 4 potatoes boiled, 4 tablespoonfuls of flour, 2 table- 

 spoonfuls of sugar, small handful of Hops ; peel potatoes, 

 strain and rise 4 hours. 



STATEMENT OF PHIL R. RUSSELL, JR., IN RELATION TO BEES AND 



HONEY. 



David W. Low, Chairman of Committee on bread, honey ^ &c.: 



Dear Sir : — In answer to your favor of Oct. 11, I have to 

 say, I began to keep bees in 1867, and during these thirteen 

 years, I have gained a knowledge of their successful man- 

 agement which is of great value to myself and possibly to 

 others who may take an interest in this delightful subject. 

 At tirst, for a number of years, I met with only indifferent 

 success, losing each winter about as many colonies as I could 

 build in the summer. I tried both indoor and outdoor winter- 

 ing, with the advantage slightly in favor of the latter, until I 

 was convinced that the trouble was mainly in the style of hive 

 I had adopted and that I could not reasonably hope for success 

 until I provided a hive that would more nearly meet the wants 

 of the bees. 



The requisites of a good movable comb hive I consider to be 

 substantially as follows : 



1st. Its wintering qualities should be such that it may 

 safely remain upon its summer stand during winter, with am- 

 ple provision for the escape of redundant moisture, while they 

 are kept warm and free from cold drafts. 



2d. It should be sufficiently compact in shape to permit the 

 bees to cluster naturally, with honey at all times within easy 

 access, above and around them, and thus economize the animal 

 heat for rapid breeding in early spring and to guard against 

 cold. 



3d. It should admit of being worked to the best advantage 

 for either comb or extracted honey, and the brood department 

 enlarged or contracted to meet the wants of any colony. 



4th. The brood combs should be ten inches deep in the 

 clear, and eight of these combs occupying about 2000 cubic 

 inches will be ample to winter the largest colony. 



