THOUSAND ANSWERS 269 
from honeydcw. It will l>c all right to use these hives without 
removing the honey. Even if it should be honcydew, the bees can 
stand that all right when flying daily. 
Wintering in a Building With Entrances Arranged for Flight. — 
Q. I have my bees in the attic, facing east, and it is so arranged 
that the temperature can be controlled during the winter months. 
During the most severe weather the past winter it has not been 
below 32 degrees, and never above 40 unless the weather out of 
doors was warm enough for them to have a flight. What would 
be the best temperature and cause them to consume the least 
amount of stores, with the hive-entrances open to the weather at 
all times as they are now? 
A. About SO degrees, but there is a good deal of variation in 
thermometers. 
Wintering in Cellar. — Q. How many cubic feet per colony is 
required in cellar wintering? I am thinking of putting the bees 
indoors. 
A. Something like ten, including passage way. 
Q. In cellar-wintering, must it be dark in the cellar? 
A. Yes, unless the bees keep perfectly quiet in the light. 
When first *put in the cellar they don’t seem to mind the light 
much, but do a great deal toward spring. 
Q. In wintering bees in the cellar, do you leave the bottom- 
board off the hive for ventilation? 
A. My bottom-boards are left on ; but that still leaves abund- 
ant ventilation, for the space under bottom-boards is two inches, 
and the entrance is two inches deep and the whole width of the 
hive. If I had entrances not more than half an inch deep, I 
should want the hives blocked up or the bottom-boards taken 
away entirely. 
Q. Do you put on anything to keep out the rats and mice, if 
such enemies should come along, or will the bees take care of 
their combs and honey in such a case themselves? I think Prof. 
Cook says that he leaves the bottom-board on and the entrance 
wide open. 
A. I have done both ways. You may be sure the bees will not 
take care of themselves; rats and mice will make bad work if 
allowed undisputed possession. If you leave the hive-entrances 
open, in most cellars, you must keep up an unceasing warfare 
against rodents with traps and poison. You can bid defiance to 
the nuisances, however, by having the entrances closed with very 
coarse wire-cloth — three meshes to the inch. Even then you 
