

WINTERING BEES. 345 



Spring." It is fortunate that, in the coldest parts of 

 our country, late forage is usually abundant. 



Berlepsch and Eberhardt not only condemn upward 

 ventilation, as depriving the bees of the moisture which 

 they need, but insist that it often hastens the ruin of a 

 stock, by causing an excess of dampness among the bees, 

 although they are actually in want of water. Dzierzon 

 thinks that these acute observers have here fallen into a 

 great mistake ; and, did my limits permit, I could show 

 that their objections to upward ventilation do not 

 accord with facts, as observed in this country. So far 

 from its being true " that the hive in which perceptible 

 condensation of moisture occurs needs water, and that in 

 which it does not take place needs none" moisture often 

 condenses so as to wet the combs and the bees,* showing 

 plainly that there is an excess of water instead of a defi- 

 ciency. The following facts, which have been furnished 

 to me by the Rev. J. C. Bodwell, of Framingham, Mas- 

 sachusetts, are highly important in this connection. His 

 colonies were wintered in a very dry cellar : 



"About the beginning of the year (1859). opened my single 

 glass hive, and found the bees abundant, and apparently healthy, 

 but no eggs nor brood. 



" Feb. 2. Examined the same hive, and found sealed brood, 

 and unsealed, but no eggs. A considerable part of the brood had 

 perished, probably from lack of water. 



" Opened another hive, not so full of bees, and found the same 

 state of things, except that less of the brood had perished. Combs 

 dry in both, and many honey-cells open. Gave water to all, to 

 their evident joy, and closed up the glass hive at the top, for expe- 

 riment as to dampness,, leaving the rest with upward ventilation. 



" Feb. 5. Examined both hives. No eggs in glass hive. The 



* In very cold weather, ice and moisture may super-abound in a hive, but it may 

 b so far from the cluster that they cannot obtain it, even when perishing for the 

 want of it. 



15* 



