FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 279 



sion-board were placed between the two sets of combs, would 

 he not see the same result? Not quite, I think, but nearly so. 

 They would hardly be so warm as without the division-board, 

 but nearly so ; and both queens would be saved. In the spring 

 it is desirable to keep the beees warm. If two colonies are in 

 one hive, with a thin division-board between them, they will I e 

 much warmer than if in separate hives. The same thing is true 

 in winter. I have had weak nuclei with two combs come through 

 in good condition during a winter in which I lost heavily, these 

 nuclei having no extra care or protection other than being in a 

 double hive. You would understand the reason of all this easily 

 if in winter you would look into one of these double hives in the 

 cellar. On each side the bees are clustered up against the 

 division-board, and it looks exactly as if the bees had all been 

 in one single cluster, and then the division-board pushed down 

 through the center of the cluster. 



Now suppose we have 100 colonics that are all fed up for 

 winter and they are then put into double hives. Please under- 

 stand that there is little or no extra expense for these double 

 hives. They are just the regular hives, only we take special 

 pains to see that the division-board is perfectly bee-tight. If 

 the hives are to be hauled home, as I haul mine each fall, there 

 are only 50 instead of 100 to haul; just half the bulk, and a 

 much less weight than the 100 would be. Just half the hives 

 are to be handled in taking in and out of winter quarters; jast 

 half the room is occupied in winter quarters; and I think, 

 although I do not know, that the bees will winter better than if 

 only one colony in a hive. If they are to be taken, in the spring, 

 to a distant apiary, there is the advantage of hauling only 50 

 hives instead of 100. If, in the spring, any colony be found 

 queenless it is in fine position to be united with its fellow 

 colony. 



CHANGIXG FROM SINGLE TO DOUBLE HIVES. 



Possibly you may be ready to agree with me so far as to say, 

 " Certainly, the thing looks desirable, but is it feasible? Will 

 not the trouble counterbalance all advantage?" I know it is 

 usually a matter of some trouble to change a colony from one 

 location to another in the samr; apiary. I think, however, that 



