10 



the entrance and front with straw or hay. An eight inch board 

 is then placed on edge on top of the ten inch board already 

 placed, and they are ready for the dry leaves, which I crowd into 

 every space, back, between and in front. A light frame work 

 is placed over all and covered with prepared roofing thirty-two 

 inches wide. This is fastened down with tight strips to prevent 

 blowing off. 



I am very careful to keep the snow cleared away from the 

 front and on warm days the straw is removed from the entrance 

 to give the bees a chance for a flight. This protection is care- 

 fully replaced at night until spring. Thus protected they can 

 be safely left in their winter quarters until the last of April." 



One of the peculiarities of Mr. Mauley's method, as above 

 described, is the closing of the entrance with loose straw. This 

 would not prevent the circulation of air while keeping out wind 

 and snow. The beginner should be cautioned that this plan 

 is only safe in the hands of one who would be careful to remove 

 the straw from the entrance on days warm enough for the bees 

 to fly. 



T. W. Blackmail of Nevada, Story county, reports that when 

 he first began keeping bees in the early 80 's he wintered by 

 leaning boards against the hives on sides and backs, and stuffing 

 the- resulting space with straw. Boards were covered with soil 

 and coarse horse manure banked over all. The fronts, facing 

 south were left without protection. The results were good, but 

 the plan was soon abandoned on account of the crudeness of the 

 method and the disagreeable job of preparing the bees for 

 winter. 



CHAFF HIVES. 



Too many bees are left without attention in single walled hives 

 and for the average small apiarist the double walled hive shown 

 in fig. 4 would be far better. The space between the two walls 

 of the hive body is packed with chaff and over the brood nest is 

 placed a tray also filled with chaff and a large cover telescopes 

 over all. Fig. 5 shows the hive as it appears in use. During 

 winter the entrance is contracted to a four inch width. 



An extensive correspondence has brought out the fact that 

 most of the bee keepers who follow the business extensively are 

 opposed to any plan of outdoor wintering and many report dis- 

 astrous results with double walled hives. On the other band 

 there are a few who have great faith in them. For the southern 

 half of the state, with good stores and with proper attention, 

 it is quite sure that results will be satisfactory. Dr. A. F. 

 Bomiey of Buck Grove. Crawford county, is an ardent defender 

 of the chaff hive. He states the argument for it in the following 

 letter to the author : 



When people like the Roots, of Medina, Ohio, have 1,000 

 chaff hives in constant use it leaves but little to be said' in 

 their favor, I believe. 



