35S 
THE lllViO AND IIUN'EV-HEE. 
paratively little honey, which was found to be the fact on open¬ 
ing the hives and examining the condition of their stores. Those 
colonies which had only eight or ten pounds of honey in the Fall, 
had still a surplus remaining, and were healthy and strong; while 
the poor little after-swarm had not only well preserved its num¬ 
bers, but had the greater portion of its small supply of honey 
still in reserve. Few dead bees were found, and those probably 
died of old age. The loss of bees was very much greater in the 
colonies which had been wintered in the house, and more than 
double the quantity of honey had been consumed by each of them ; 
so that a very important saving can manifestly be elfected by means 
of clamps, apart from the other important advantages which this 
mode of wintering bees po.ssesses. The combs in all the colonies 
were clean and free from mould, and I could perceive no differ¬ 
ence in this particular between the hives which had their entrances 
and ventilating passages closed, and those in which the latter had 
been left open, the pieces of old comb, even, having remained dry 
and free from mould. Satisfaclory proof was thus furnished that, 
where the temperature is moderate and uniform throughout, con¬ 
densation of moisture will not result from close confinement. 
Still, from various considerations, 1 would recommend ventilation 
in every hive; and previous experience has taught me that bees 
will remain more tranquil during the Winter in hives duly venti¬ 
lated, than in such as are closed. A number of the colonics 
dcpo.«ited in my dark room were purposely confined without ven¬ 
tilation. Three of the.«c became very rcstlc.ss, consumed a dis¬ 
proportionate amount of their stores, and very many of the bees 
perished. Precisely these three colonies, though still strong and 
healthy in the Spring, were yet the weakest of the whole lot, 
though in as good condition as the others when removed from the 
Apiary in Autumn. Nothing similar occurred in the colonies 
which had even partial ventilation. 
“ Having thub." by these diversified experiments in wintering 
bees, arrived at certain and satisfactory results, 1 shall never 
hereafter winter my movable colonies otherwise than in clamps. 
“ Since the publication of my mode of wintering bees in 
clamps, some objections have been urged against it, which 1 shall 
