252 MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 



I take to be : First, they are not proof against severe and 

 long-continued cold, like the winter of 1880-81 ; Second, that 

 such cumbrous hives would be inconvenient to handle in 

 summer ; and, Third, a matter of expense. That they would 

 in part supply the place of shade, is, perhaps, in their favor, 

 while Mr. A. I. Boot thinks they are not expensive. 



WINTERING IN CELLAR OR HOUSE. 



With large apiaries the above method is expensive and 

 unreliable in all cases as the winter of 1880-81 fully demon- 

 strated ; so, wise 'apiarists may well look towards cellar win- 

 tering. After my experience in the winter of 1874 and 

 1875, losing all my bees by keeping them in a house with 

 double walls filled in with saw-dust, in which the thermome- 

 ter indicated a temperature below zero for several weeks, in 

 which time my strongest colonies literally starved to death in 

 the manner already described, I hesitate to recommend a 

 house above ground for Michigan, though with very numer- 

 ous colonies it might do. Such a house must, if it answer 

 the pui'pose, keep an equable temperature, at least 3° and 

 not more than 10° above freezing, be perfectly dark, and ven- 

 tilated with tubes above and below, so arranged as to be 

 closed or opened at pleasure, and not admit a ray of light. 



A cellar in which we are sure of our -ability to control the 

 temperature, needs to be also dry, dark, and quiet, and ven- 

 tilated as described above. As already stated, the ventilator 

 to bring air may well be made o&tile, and pass through the 

 earth for some feet and then open at the bottom of the cellar. 

 If possible, the ventilator that carries the foul air ofi' should 

 be connetced with a stove pipe in a room above, with its 

 lower end reaching to the bottom of the cellar. The College 

 paiary cellar is grouted throughout, which makes it more dry 

 and neat. Of course it should be thoroughly drained. 



The colonies should be put into the depository when the 

 hives are dry, before cold weather, and should remain till 

 April ; though in January and March, if there are days that 

 are warm, they should be taken out and the bees permitted 

 to fly, though not unless they seem uneasy and soil the en- 

 trances to their hives. Ahoai/s when taken out they should 

 be placed on their old stands, so that no bees may be lost. 

 Towards night, when all are quiet, return them to the cellar. 

 I would not remove bees till towards night, as it is better 



