S46 
THE HITE AND HONEY-BEE. 
bees had been busy expelling dead brood. In the other, found 
eggs in moderate quantity. Very small larv® in both. 
“Feb. 11.—Opened glass hive, and found the cells mostly 
emptied of dead brood, and abundance of eggs, and larv® just 
hatched. Discovered an opening between the hive and top-board, 
permitting upward ventilation, and closed it. 
<• March 1.—Made a thorough examination of both hives. Eggs, 
larv®, and sealed brood in both. The glass hive very wet , water 
standing on the tops of the frames, and at least a gill on the bottom- 
board : combs mouldy, and whole aspect of things comfortless. 
The other, quite dry , both hive and combs. Examined two other 
glass hives, having top ventilation, and found them dry All have 
been treated precisely alike, except that the closed-up hive has 
had less water, as the bees did not seem to want it—manifesting 
no pleasure at receiving it. This hive had not so many eggs as 
the other, though much the larger stock, and appeared in a less 
healthy condition generally.” 
In any of my hives which have an upper cover, the bees 
can be easily supplied with water, and in those which 
have none, it may be injected with a straw into the 
winter entrance, or poured through the roof by a small 
hole, stopped with a plug, care being taken not to give 
too much.* 
If the colonies are strong in numbers and stores, have 
upward ventilation, easy communication from comb to 
comb, and water when needed—and the hive entrances are 
* Mr. Wheaton finds that they will easily supply themselves with water from a 
sponge put over a hole, and covered with a tumbler : u If the wator is sweetened , 
they will always drain the sponge; if not, they pay little attention to it, unless 
prevented from going abroad.” 
Mr. Wagner suggests that a piece of roofing-slate, fastened to the underside of 
the bottom-board, will cause tho wator to condonso over the bees, where they can 
easily got access to it. Mr. Cary, at my suggestion, has placed a pane of glass 
on tho fiamcs directly over the bees, and the water condensed on it has seemed 
to supply all their wants. It should be elevated, so that tho bees can pass under It. 
It may be found that, by some such simple device, we can, without any super¬ 
vision, supply all the moisture that a strong colony needs in tho coldest weather, 
before breeding has begun very actively. There is little doubt that it would answer 
for bees that are not wintered in tho open air. 
