846 WINTERING. 
646. In the North of the United States, and in Canada, 
they are generally wintered in cellars, and remain there in 
quiet from November till April, sometimes till May. 
In all localities, where the bees cannot fly at least once a 
month, in the Winter, it is best to follow this method of 
wintering. 
As Dzierzon says, a dry cellar is the best, although bees 
can be wintered in a damp cellar, but with more danger of 
loss, especially if the food is not of the best. The honey of 
Northern countries is generally of finer quality than that of 
the South. 
647. In the first place, the bees should be moved to the 
cellar, just after they have had a day’s flight, at the open- 
ing of cold weather. We take only the brood-apartment 
leaving the cap, and sometimes the bottom-board, on the 
Summer stand, being careful to mark the number of each 
hive inside of its cap* so as to return it to the same location 
in Spring (32-33). In the cellar, the hives are piled one 
upon another. An empty hive or a box is put at the bottom 
of each pile, so that the bees will be as high up from the 
damp ground as possible. If the bottom-board is brought 
in with the hive, the entrance should be left open. It is 
well to raise the lower tier of hives from their bottoms with 
entrance-blocks. Some upper ventilation had better be 
given also, for the escape of moisture. If the cellar is 
damp, the combs will mould more or less; if it is dry, they 
will keep in perfect order. 
648. After the bees are put in, they should be left in 
darkness, at the temperature that will keep them the quiet- 
est. We find that from 42° to 45° is the best. Every 
Apiarist should have a thermometer, and use it. The cost 
is insignificant, and it will pay for itself many times. 
The fact that bees, in Russia (645), are confined in 
*In a well-regalatel Apiary, each hive bears a number painted on the body. 
