The Townsend Bee Book 71 
to try to use the old. This white-felt paper comes in rolls 36 inches 
wide, and costs about 65 cts. a roll. One roll of paper this width 
will cover about 35 hives, and it is not hard to see that, if the paper 
is of any value at all, the expense of less than two cents per hive 
can not be considered. The tarred paper is usually but 32 inches 
wide. While this might do for an eight-frame hive it is not wide 
enough to suit me for the ten-frame size. 
HOW TO WRAP THE HIVES 
If the hive-cover is sealed down I put the paper over the hive 
—cover and all; but if the cover has been loosened, or if there are 
any openings at the top of the hive, I remove the cover and put 
the paper next to the bees. The paper can be used most advan- 
tageously in this way, for it comes down to the bottom of the hive 
in better shape. Furthermore, it is easier to fold the paper around 
a hive that has no cover. The best arrangement of all is a hive 
with a thin super-cover that comes just flush with the outside all 
around. I remove the outer cover and fold the paper directly over 
the inner cover, being careful to put it on smooth, so that there 
are no wrinkles at the sides. I then fold over the ends in such a 
manner that the water can not possibly run down between the 
folds. I secure the bottom of the paper with a piece of lath as long 
as the side of the hive, and fasten it with a nail in the center. 
These pieces of lath should be tacked at the bottom of the paper, 
one on each side. 
The lath have the advantage over the string in that the lower 
edge of the paper is held perfectly tight against the hive at all 
points, so there is no chance for a circulation of air between the 
paper and the hive. If nothing is used but a string tied around 
the bottom of the hive, there is likely to be a loose wrinkled edge 
where the wind and cold air can get in. If the work has been done 
well, there is no chance for the heat from the bees to escape except 
through the entrance of the hive. I believe this to be a very 
desirable condition. 
We wintered 325 colonies of bees in a cellar in Charlevoix Co. 
Nearly all of the covers were loosened so that there was some 
ventilation at the top. 
The yard in which these colonies were placed in the summer 
was well protected; and when the hives were set on the summer 
stands the propolis was cleaned from the upper edge of the hive 
and from the under side of the cover. A sheet of felt paper the 
size of the outside of the hive was put on, held down by the cover. 
A ten-pound stone was finally placed on top; and it is my opinion 
