134 ONE YEAR AMONG THE BEES. 



fourteen inches apart, and the hives are set on these, leaving a space 

 between them of about eight inches. The next tier of hives is placed 

 directly over this space, and so on as high as wished. The bottom 

 boards are not used on the hives, but left open thus for ventilation. 

 In this manner the dead bees and all accumulations drop down and 

 entirely out of the hive on the lid of the one below it, where it may 

 be brushed off and thus kept clean. The hives thus arranged prevent 

 the bees from getting together, as they will not venture from their 

 combs far enough to thus get together. The proper temperature to 

 keep a cellar for bees is about forty-five degrees. Bees should be 

 placed in the cellar just on the beginning of severe winter, and put in 

 place by very careful handling. 



FIG. 27. Chaff hives and outdoor wintering. 

 CHAFF HIVES AND OUTDOOR WINTERING. 



It will be observed throughout my articles here that I use consid- 

 erable economy and advocate cheapness in many things, and I will 

 frankly admit that I am not in the bee business for my health but for 

 the actual profits that are in it. I have frequently, in my writings, ad- 

 vocated common dry-goods boxes for chaff hives. Figure 27 Is one 

 of them. I knocked the side out of it so you can see how to put your 

 hive of bees in one of them. The hive is also tipped up a little side- 

 wise to show you how the bottom board is fixed. It certainly needs 

 no other explanation, only that the side is put back and the entire 

 box, all around the hive, under and above, is filled with chaff and a 

 good, water-tight cover put on the same. When completed it looks 

 just like figure 28. 



