_ How to manage Bees in Winier. 105 
ly fevere one, many hives were deftroyed from 
that caufe alone; whereasin winter 1779, which 
was remarkably mild, not one hive in twenty 
failed; and the bees, in general, {warmed a 
month earlier than ufual.* 
I have feen the bees of a hive that had been 
‘long confined by cold, (perhaps for ten weeks,) 
O fo 
> Mr Witpman fays, page 249, * The degree of cold, which 
‘* bees can endure has not been afcertained. We find that they 
“ live in the cold parts of Ruffia, and often in hollow-trees, 
“¢ without any care being taken of them.” Page 252, he fays, 
“ that bees fuffer fuch degrees of cold, as we here are ftrangers 
“ to, without detriment, feems certain; nor is it eafily accounted. 
“¢ for, why a much lefs degree of cold becomes fatal to them 
“ in our mild climate. If I may venture my opinion, I think 
‘ that in thefe extreme colds, the bees are fo perfetly frozen, 
“« that their juices cannot corrupt or putrify but they remain in the ' 
“ fame ftate tillthe return of fpring 3 when the change of the 
“ weather being fudden, the bees foon come to life 5 whereas in — 
“ our climate they are {fo far chilled as to lofe the figns of life, 
“© and their juices being ftill in a liquid flate, foon putrify, and 
“ veal death enfues with corruption.” 
With all due deference, I fhall now, venture to give my opi- 
nion, on this point. I would account for it in this manner 3 that 
the fame degree of cold will prove equally fatel to bees in Bar- 
Tain, Russra, SIBERIA, Or any other place in the world ; and 
that aheneven the cold is fo great, as to render the bees en- 
tirely motionde/s, they will continue in that ftate for ever; or, 
in other words, they will die; unlefs bg be recovered by heat, 
before 
