APPENDIX. 475 



is a good supply of food and bees, breeding commences* 

 about the same time, being influenced very litlle by the 

 thickness or thinness of the hives. Bees can only breed in 

 such combs as jhey can densely cover, and, as was shown 

 in No. 2, however large the cold and unoccupied space in 

 their hive, they are able to develop their brood in these 

 combs. No amount of protection which could possibly be 

 given to the hive, would enable them to rear a single bee, 

 except in the warm combs on which they are clustered. 

 Bees kept in large garret-closets where their combs oc- 

 cupy but a small part of the enclosed space, are exposed 

 often to a very severe temperature. In such situations, 

 however, they are able to breed in the depth of winter, and 

 I believe that they would thrive, even if their combs were 

 hun^n an open shed, and merely protected from the wind, 

 1 would sooner risk them in such a situation, than in a damp 

 hive, however well-protected. 



The grand essentials for successfully wintering bees in 

 the open air, in cold climates, may be condensed into a very 

 few words: plenty of bees; plenty of food ; easy commu- 

 nications among the combs ; upward ventilation for the 

 escape of dampness ; and the hive-entrance well sheltered 

 from piercing winds. 



Jan. 30th, 1857: This month, the coldest on record for 

 more than 50 years, has furnished the most decisive proof of 

 the correctness of the views advanced in this Appendix, on 

 wintering bees in the open air. My colonies have been ex- 

 posed to a temperature of 30° below zero, the mercury for 

 two days never having risen above 6° below, and the wind 

 blowing a strong gale the whole time ! I have to-day care- 

 fully examined the thin hive, (No. 1, p. 474,) and find the 

 bees to be very healthy. The central comb is almost en- 

 tirely filled with sealed brood, nearly mature ; the combs are 

 free from any appearance of mould, and the interior of the 

 hive is very dry. The spare honey-board was covered on its 

 under side,with straw wrapping-paper, and elevated by tacks 



* 1 examined a number of strong stocks Nov. 1st, and found that 

 breeding had entirely ceased; Aristotle says that it ceases for about 60 

 days. This agrees with my own observations, as I found eggs in these 

 stocks early in January. 



