300 FORTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES. 



46 degrees outside and 45 degrees in the cellar. The sun 

 shone directly into some of the entrances near the window 

 without disturbing the bees. At 10:30 a. m. it was 52 

 degrees outside and 47 degrees in the cellar ; the bees 

 still quiet. At 11 a. m. it was 53 degrees without and 

 48 degrees in cellar. In five minutes by the watch I 

 counted fifteen bees which flew to the window. I then 

 closed the window, leaving the doors wide open. At 12 

 o'clock it was still 53 degrees without and 49 degrees 

 in the cellar. In five minutes I counted five bees flying 

 to the door. The light does not shine directly into the 

 room where the bees are, they being in an inside room. 

 I can see to read easily at the hives nearest the door. At 

 3 :2o it was 55 degrees outside and 50 degrees in cellar. 

 In five minutes I counted three bees flying to the door. 

 It was then getting cloudy, the sun having been shining 

 most of the day. I opened the window for five minutes 

 and twelve bees flew to it. At 6 p. m. the window was 

 opened again, leaving all wide open till it should again 

 become bright enough on the next or some following day 

 to make the bees fly out, or cold enough to bring the 

 mercury down too far in the cellar." 



I have not given this as an example of the perfection 

 of wintering. It is far from that. But it shows that 

 after 119 days of confinement the bees will stand a good 

 deal of light and warmth without showing much insubor- 

 dination, providing they have an abundance of good air. 

 It must be higher than 45 degrees to induce them out 

 when in good condition. 



SUB-EARTH VENTILATOR. 



Some years ago I put in a sub-earth ventilator of 4- 

 inch tile, 100 feet long and 4 feet deep. It was of com- 

 mon porous drain-tile, and becoming a little skeptical of 

 the quality of the air admitted I allowed it to become 



