WINTERING BEES. 
359 
briefly nolice, before giving the results of my further experience 
in this matter. 
‘ 1 The expense of constructinglhe clamps has been alleged as an 
objection to the use of them. In my case, the cost of labor was 
simply the hire, for one day, of two men, who assisted me in pre- 
paring the area, carrying the hives thither, and arranging and 
enclosing them. The materials used, with the exception of the 
scantling, cost literally nothing, as any old boards can be made 
to serve the purpose, and the rushes, or straw, leaves, &c., em- 
ployed. arc always worth their cost for litter. 
“ A second objection is. that rats and mice will be induced to 
collect and harbor in the clamps, if straw be used. I never use 
any but old straw, thoroughly divested of grain, and prefer using 
rushes when they can conveniently be procured. I have, how- 
ever, thus far, not been annoyed by rats or mice. 
“To show how very superior clamps are for wintering bees, in 
thin hives especially, I will state that one of my neighbors, 
whose hives are made of inch boards, and who invariably lost 
many bees, and frequently entire colonies, when he left them to 
winter, as he usually did, in his open Apiary, was induced by my 
success to place his hives in a clamp last Fall. They were put 
in on the 11th of November, 1857, and remained undisturbed till 
the 29th of March, 1858. When opened, all the colonies proved 
to bo in excellent condition, strong, and entirely free from mould 
or moisture. Never, in any previous season, had he been equally 
successful, nor had his bees ever before required or received so 
little personal attention from him. He was ‘ a doubling Thomas,’ 
when he saw me arranging my first clamp, but is now a thorough 
convert to the system, and declares that he will, in future, use 
no other mode, as he cannot conceive that a better could be 
devised. 
“ My own colonics remained in the clamp from the 13th of 
November to the 29th of March, 1858, and wore perfectly sound 
and healthy when I opened them. The earth under the outer 
mantle was still frozen, and had to be removed with a hoe, as in 
the previous year, thus showing that the bees were not alfected 
by the prevalent mild weather. Long confinement had not 
