WINTERING BEES <51 



hiberualor, may go all winter. When the temperature of a 

 bee-cellar goes' up to 50 or 60 the hees are active. Their 

 respiration is normal. They must have ventilation, or die 

 in large numbers. If we can maintain a temperature down 

 to 45, with slight variation, there is a state of sleep where 

 the respiration is very low, food consumption slight, and 

 consequently not much fresh air is needed, or not more 

 than what will percolate through the walls of the repository. 

 There is a practical side to this matter; for if we can 

 induce semi-hibernation or torpor we cut down the con- 

 sumption of stores. 



WINTERING IN THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



The directions so far given apply particularly to localities 

 that are subject to zero weather at times, that have more or 

 less of snow, during the greater portion of the year, a large 

 amount of frost in the ground, extending down perhaps two 

 feet. 



Where bees can fly almost every day in the year, and for 

 ten months are able to gather a little honey or pollen, out- 

 door wintering in single-walled hives is recommended. 

 Double-walled hives would do no harm, and would, during 

 the coldest of the weather, save considerable brood. The 

 added expense for the extra walls and packing will be offset 

 by the saving in brood and bees. While we recommend single 

 hives for the southern portions of our country, and for some 

 parts of the West, we always urge that the same be located 

 in an inclosure of trees, a tight high board fence, a hedge, or 

 any thing in the way of buildings that will break the pre- 

 vailing winds. To establish windbreaks is one of the most 

 important requisites in either the northern or southern por- 

 tions of the country. 



While no great skill is needed to winter bees in such local- 

 ities as are found in Florida, South Carolina, Texas, Louis- 

 iana, Georgia, Alabama, and Southern California, yet one 

 must be careful to see that his bees do not run short of 

 stores, as it seems to be a generally acknowledged fact that 

 bees wintered m the South consume much more stores, ac- 



