WINTERING BEES. 839 



if right side up, yet tte result showed no difference. 

 I had now tried both methods, and had some means 

 of judging. 



BEES WHEN IN THE HOtTSE SHOULD BE KEPT PEEFEOTLY DARK. 



When not kept perfectly dark, a few would leave 

 the hives in either case. I have found it much better 

 to make the room dark to keep the bees in the hive, 

 than to tie over them a thin muslin cloth, as that pre- 

 vents a free passage of the vapor, and a great nuriiber 

 of full stocks were not at all satisfied in confinement ; 

 and were continually worrying, and biting at the 

 cloth, till they had made several holes through it for 

 passages out. Thus the little good was attended by an 

 evil, as an offset. Even wire cloth put over to confine 

 them, which would be effectual, would not save bees 

 enough to pay expense. I have thus wintered them 

 for the last ten years, and am extremely doubtful if a 

 better way can be found.* For several years I made 

 use of a small bed-room in the house, made perfectly 

 dark, in which I put about 100 stocks. It was lathed 

 and plastered, and no air admitted, except what might 

 come thrpugh the floor. It was single, and laid rather 

 close, though not matched. 



A ROOM MADE FOB WINTERING BEES. 



In the fall of 1849 I built a room for this purpose ; 

 the frame was eight by sixteen feet square, and seven 

 high, without any windows. A good coat of plaster 



* I was so well pleased with my success, especially with small fa. 

 milies, that I detailed the most importanit points ia a communicatioa 

 to the Dollar Newspaper, PMladelphiai, pulblishe,d Npyember, 1848. 



