252 MANUAL OP THE APlARr. 



Lives 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. 

 Root thinks they are not expensive. 



WINTERING IN CELLAR OR HOUSE. 



With large- apiaries the above method is expensive, and 

 specialists may prefer a cellar or special depository, which I 

 think are quite as safe, though they demand attention and 

 perhaps labor in winter. After my experience in the winter 

 of 1874 and 1875, losing all my bees by keeping them in a 

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

 thermometer 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 numerous colonies it might do. Such a house must, if 

 it answer the purpose, keep an equable temperature, at least 

 3° and not more than 10° above freezing, be perfectly dark, 

 and ventilated with tubes above and below, so arranged as to 

 foe 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 venti- 

 lated as described above. As already stated, the ventilator 

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

 «arth for some feet and then open at the bottom of the 

 cellar. If possible, the ventilator that carries the foul air off 

 should be connected with a stove pipe in a room above, with 

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

 College apiary 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, aiid 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 entrance to their hives. Always 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 



