476 APPENDIX. 



on its corners about half an inch. In all my hives where T 

 have adopted this arrangement, not a particle of dampness is 

 found to settle over the bees. The value of the intercom" 

 municating passages through the combs, has this Winter been 

 most fully tested ; and its importance pan hardly be over-esti- 

 mated. For the last few days a thaw has set in, which has 

 not injured the hives having upward ventilation, although it 

 has filled with dampness the few which were purposely left 

 without it. 



To-day, (Jan. 31st,) I have removed the upper cover and 

 spare honey-board, from the thin hive mentioned above, ex- 

 posing the bees to the full heat of the sun, the thermometer 

 being 30° in the shade, and the atmosphere calm. The hive 

 standing on the sunny side of the house, the bees were 

 quickly in motion, and taking wing discharged their ^ces. 

 Very few were lost on the snow, and nearly all that alit 

 upon it, (p.327,) took wing without being chilled. More bees 

 were lost from other hives which were not opened, as few 

 which left such hives were able to return ; while in the one 

 with the cover removed, the returning bees were able to 

 alight at once among their warm companions, (p. 331.) 



The Rev. J. C. Bodwell, of Framingham, Mass., put, at 

 the commencement ot the winter, a number of good stocks, 

 in mov. comb hives, into a very dry cellar, leaving the spare 

 honey-boards entirely off. In examining* one of these on 

 the 17th of January, he found that the combs were perfectly 

 dry and contained an abundance of eggs, worms and sealed 

 brood. This is a highly important observation, proving as 

 it does that bees in a suitable winter depositary, begin to 

 breed at the usual period, even although their hives are in 

 midnight darkness. In due time, the results of Mr. Bod- 

 well's experiments, as compared with those obtained by 

 others, from wintering colonies in the open air, will be com- 

 municated to the public. 



* The careful reader will notice the very great facilities for experi- 

 menting, furnished by the mov. comb hive. It need hardly be added 

 that all these winter examinations are injurious to bees. 



