WINTERING BEES. 275 



ANOTHER METHOD OF MAKING! STRAW MATS. 



I sometimes made them in the following manner, 

 which is also very simple, and answers the purpose 

 very well : Take four strips of wood, the length to 

 suit the depth of the mat ; they may either he round 

 or have the corners rounded off, and about fths 

 diameter. Prepare straw same as in the first in- 

 stance. Place two of these strips about nine or ten 

 inches apart ; across these put straw about two inches 

 deep, on top of which place the other strips imme- 

 diately above the first. Bind the ends of these 

 together with twine, to hold all the parts to their 

 places. Now take a collar needle and twine, and 

 sew it through, passing the twine each time around 

 these strips, binding them as firmly, together as pos- 

 sible, thus making a very nice mat. 



The strips of wood may be dispensed with entirely, 

 and simply pass the twine around and sew through 

 the straw, passing the twine each time over the one 

 in the opposite direction. In this way very nice 

 mats can be made. Other plans may be adopted for 

 making them. The point I claim is applying mats 

 of straw inside the hive to absorb moisture. They 

 should be made about from one to one and a half 

 inches thick, just right to fill the spaces of the combs 

 that were removed. 



MODE OP APPLYING THEM. 



On the approach of winter, take the frames or combs 

 next to the sides of the hive out, and put a mat in 

 the place they occupied. If a sash with glass is 



