192 Mr. J. G. Desborough's Observations 



The proceedings of the hive from this time to the 1st of 

 November were a mere repetition of the preceding year, but 

 the bees appeared more numerous. On the 1st of November, I 

 began to supply small portions of food, but by the middle of the 

 month the interior of the hive appeared excessively damp — the 

 condensed vapour in the shape of water ran down the glass, and 

 collected at the bottom of the hive, drowning or starving every 

 bee happening to fall down, and the comb appearing literally sod- 

 dened with wet. I bored holes in the bottom of the hive to drain 

 off the moisture, and took every precaution I could, but still I 

 lost a great number of bees. 



On the 1st of December I discontinued the feeding, and kept 

 the room warmer without giving access to the outer air, which 

 had been extremely heavy and moist during the preceding month, 

 and an improvement in the state of the hive was soon evident. 

 The month continued very cold, and on the 2Gth the bees emigrated 

 from one division of the hive to another, having consumed all the 

 store of honey in the first division before departing. I cut out 

 all the comb from this division, and it could only be compared to 

 wet brown paper — still it was not mouldy. 



1854. The first week of January, 1854, was excessively cold, 

 with much snow, a thaw commencing on the 8th. I occasionally 

 administered food during this month, but the mortality amongst 

 the bees was very great ; the interior of the hive began to be very 

 dirty, and the bees voided their excrement on the glass, nor could 

 I devise any means to clean it. I however cut strips of paper and 

 laid them each day on the bottom of the hive, and thereby re- 

 moving every morning the dead bees and the dirt ; the paper like- 

 wise absorbed the moisture and in some measure dried the interior 

 of the hive by that means ; still the best remedy of all was the 

 return of sunshine. On the 20th February I saw pollen collected, 

 and on the 3rd of March 1 detected brood. 



The bees at this period were reduced to a much smaller number 

 than in the preceding year ; and any one, however well acquainted 

 with the habits of bees, would hardly have believed that the small 

 number then existing would be able to rear sufficient brood to 

 recruit the strength of the hive. The diameter of the circle occu- 

 ])ied by the bees at this time did not exceed four inches and a half 

 in the day, and three inches at night. It is true I took especial 

 care that they should not want for food, and the quantity consumed 

 was great, considering the number; no doubt the heat kept up for 

 hatching the brood required a larger consumption of food than the 

 mere sustenance of the life of the bee would have done. I again 



