44 WINTERING BEES 



It has been argued by some that bees should not be fed 

 in the cellar during midwinter, as it will be sure to kill 

 them. But this has not proved to be true when candy is 

 given. Some weak colonies put into the cellar, fed with 

 hard candy, as here explained, have reared brood during all 

 winter, and have come out in the spring very much stronger 

 than when they went into winter quarters. The feeding of 

 liquid syrup, however, might and probably would have a 

 disastrous effect. 



BEE-CELLABS VABIOUSLY CONSTBUCTED. 



Having stated the general principles of cellar-wintering, 

 we give views and descriptions of some of those used by 

 tnen who are very successful in wintering. 



Mr. N. D. West, of Middleburgh, N. Y., has been very 

 successful in wintering bees in ordinary cellars under dwell- 

 ing-houses. He prefers to have the bee-room separated 

 from the outside door by another room, possibly a vegetable- 

 room, so that the temperature may be controlled more 

 easily. The door between the two rooms may be left open 

 most of the time, although it can be closed when necessary. 

 An outside ventilator is used through an opening in one of 

 the windows. A wooden box is made 8 inches square and 

 about 2 feet long. This extends through the window, and 

 the outer end is built up so that the whole ventilator assumes 

 the form of an elbow. The outer opening, which may be 

 about 3 feet from the ground, is then covered in such a way 

 as to keep out the rain and snoW, but still allow space for 

 foul or warm air to escape from the bee-room. Any open- 

 ings that would admit light are closed so as to make the 

 room dark and warm. Mr. West thinks it is advisable to 

 have a spring of running water in one corner, if possible, 

 Ihat the temperature may be kept constant. 



In placing his hives in the cellar, he does not take off the 

 bottom-boards. He makes a platform about four inches 

 above the cellar-floor, and puts one row of hives on this with 

 the back ends resting on a 2 x 5, so that they are four inches 

 higher than the front ends. The next row of hives is placed 



