PROTECTION. 117 



their bodies to be greatly distended with accumulated ffeces. 

 On the return of mild weather, bees in this condition being 

 often too feeble to fly, crawl from their hives, and miserably 

 perish. 



Insufficient protection is also exceedingly injurious, by 

 causing the moisture to settle upon the cold lop and sides of 

 the interior of the hive, from whence it drips upon the bees. 

 In this way, many of their number are chilled and destroyed, 

 and often the whole colony infected with dysentery. Not 

 unfrequently, large portions of the comb are covered with 

 mould, and the hive rendered very offensive. 



This dampness which causes what may be called a rot 

 among the bees, is one of the worst enemies with which the 

 Apiarian in a cold climate, has to contend, as it weakens or 

 destroys many of his best colonies. No extreme of cold 

 ever experienced in latitudes where bees flourish, can destroy 

 a strong colony well supplied with honey, except indirectly, 

 by confining them to empty combs. They will survive out 

 coldest winters, in thin hives raised on blocks to give a freer 

 admission of air, or even in suspended hives, without any 

 bottom-board at all. Indeed, in cold weather, a very free 

 admission of air is necessary in thin hives, to prevent the 

 otherwise ruinous effects of frozen moisture ; and hence the 

 common remark that bees require even more air in Winter 

 than in Summer. 



When bees, in unsuitable hives, are exposed to all the 

 variations of the external atmosphere, they are frequently 

 tempted to fly abroad if the weather becomes unseasonably 

 warm, and multitudes are lost on the snow, at a season when 

 few are bred to replenish their number, and when the loss 

 is most injurious to the colony. 



From these remarks, it will be obvious to the intelligent 

 cultivator, that protection against extremes of heat and coldi 



