134 
GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 
which is drawn on a scale of inch to the 
foot, A, A, are these rafters resting on posts 
B, B, made almost 3 feet long. These latter 
should be sharpened and driven into the floor 
of our room about G inches, this will leave 
them feet high on the iuside, and as they 
are to be level with the general average of the 
ground F, F, on the outside, our room is sup- 
posed to set in the ground about feet. C, 
is a piece of 3x4 scantling strongly spiked 
across A, A, just high enough up to allow the 
proprietor to walk under, unless we can afford 
to make a little extra provision for visitors, a 
matter depending somewhat ou our resources. 
When this is done, get some cheap pine boards 
(ours cost only $18.00 per >1.) and nail on the 
inside, at both top and sides. Use 10 penny 
nails and nail strong. When this is done put 
earth overhead and at the sides, G, G, G, at 
least 18 inches thick. Then cover all with a 
shingled or board roof something like D. I), 
I), D. If short bits of boards are nailed from 
the rafters A, to the rafters D, at frequent in- 
tervals, the whole structure will have some- 
thing the strength of an arched bridge. The 
dimensions of the room inside on the floor 
E, E, are 10x13 feet; it will hold 100 ordinary 
hives. .In case the Bid well process proves a 
success, and it bids fair to prove so, you can 
at any future time add on a similar structure 
to either the east or west end, having the south 
roof all glass. This is to be used as a voiding 
room when colonies become diseased before 
the weather is suitable to put them out. 
We need hardly add that provision must be 
made to keep such a room perfectly dry. If 
the land lies in such a way as to render it 
likely that water will soak under the walls, it 
will be necessary to cut a deep ditch all around 
it, and to provide a good underdrain. 
P. 8. — We would nail the boards on the in- 
side to prevent bumping our heads against the 
rafters. The whole expense of materials need 
not exceed $10.00, and not more than $15.00 
more, if the apartment with glass be added. 
Double doors afford access, and the outside one 
is to be made like an outside cellar door. 
In our Nov. No. ot last year we mentioned 
having prepared nine colonies for winter on 
their summer stands. These belonged to Dr. 
J. II. Salisbury, Cleveland, O. As we remark- 
ed then, we did nothing but to equalize the 
stfires of some, removing all honey and combs 
ni upper stories, and covering the frames with 
nothing but their accustomed quilts, ma- 
king no provision at all for any more ventila- 
tion than is afforded under the cover of the 
Simplicity hives. These bees all wintered fine- 
ly. No dead bees, no trace of dysentery, and 
no particular weakening down in the spring, 
yet they stood unprotected on the summit of a 
hill, exposed to blasts from Lake Erie of such 
force as to render it necessary to keep a couple 
of bricks on the Simplicity cover to prevent 
their being blown off. Now why did these 
bees winter well and come out with their 
combs all so clear and bright? Had we used 
straw mats, or given some peculiar ventila- 
tion. or had them in somebody’s patent hive 
embodying some great discovery or other, 
what an excellent chance here would be for a 
testimonial. We are very happy to say how- 
ever, that there was nothing at all peculiar in 
Dec. 
their management. Nothing unusual was 
found in the hives, unless it was that the hon- 
ey was all nicely sealed up. So far as we can 
recollect, and we noted all conditions care- 
fully, the whole of the nine hives contained 
almost no unsealed stores. The Doctor declares 
he gave them no attention after we pronounced 
them all in order. 
We have just been out to prepare the same 
Apiary for winter again. They ext’d about 100 
lbs. of honey from the nine, in June or July, 
and made seven artificial colonies ; the whole 
1G are in the same condition as we found them a 
year ago, unless it be that they have more 
honey. The hives are too full ; almost every 
space being filled up solid. One hive only, we 
thought might possibly need a comb from one 
of the others, and in lifting a comb out, we 
broke into one side of the cluster which was 
in the form of a perfect Sphere, and perhaps a 
foot in diameter, — the day being rather cool- 
now the bees that we unceremoniously pulled 
out, at first seemed to be dead — for all the 
world like a nest of ants, such as we some- 
times And ir. splitting timber in Jan. — but soon 
began to move feebly, and finally stirred around 
until they revived enough to show they were 
hybrids. These bees were dormant, or very 
nearly so ; they were so densely packed and 
knotted, that it seemed as though separating 
the combs would tear them in two. The tem- 
perature was then perhaps a little below 50°. 
Is it not possible that if they could be kept at 
just about that point until next April, they 
would winter without food? The way in 
which they were packed in the empty cells 
from which brood had emerged renders it 
seemingly impossible that they could move 
about to get food, unless the cluster greatly 
enlarged. 'We feel sure that at least one of 
the requisites for such successful wintering, 
is being fed early, that their stores may be all 
sealed. Perhaps another is that after they get 
thus nested, they be not roused up in cool 
weather, as friend Bolin has suggested. Is it 
not likely that after being stirred up, they 
commence eating and then perhaps get a de- 
rangement of the — ahem, “bowels?” 
The Doctor certainly has very little trouble 
with his bees, yet they are increasing yearly at 
a rate that begins to look serious to him, as lie 
only proposed to get enough honey for family 
use from the three stocks lie procured in 1873. 
Now here is a point: his time is too much 
occupied to atteud to so many himself. No 
one can be hired to extract the honey when it 
should be done, as ,he has proved by actual 
trial. The principal crop of honey seems to be 
from the Autumn Flowers, perhaps principally 
from the Goldeu rod, as we decided by the fla- 
vor of several “chunks" gouged out of some ot 
the most tempting looking combs with our 
pocket knife. The honey is very thick, of a 
rich golden color, and of flavor — well, prepar- 
ing an Apiary for out-door wintering as we do 
it is not a very unpleasant task. As usual we 
forgot our point which was this: that during 
the cool autumn weather, bees will not store 
honey in an upper story as they will in coinos 
at one side, for we find f lic lower story cram- 
med full. Again if the Doctor had had Stand- 
ard hives instead of Simplicities would he no 
have had 20 combs filled with honey, or neai j 
