in special winter depositories, and say south of 40 degrees latitude weather
too variable to make it safe. If able to secure the results aimed
at a splendid advance in practical beekeeping. Sides of mats may
have holes like winter passages in combs to let bees get to outside combs. 
Mats may also be put between the combs as recommended Dec. 28th above. 
December 12th, 1867. Alley and Gould of Wenham Massachusetts, use cob boxes which
seem to be on a much better plan than those we have used. 
They use a double rabbeted strip centrally in the box and strips on the sides
to hold up a double row of cobs nicely fitted. The cob box is then fitted
closely so as to make the shallow chamber warm. I think that this may be
improved thus, over the first tier of cobs place a piece of old carpet, etc. then
a second tier of cobs and over these newspapers. You now confine the
warmth to much that the shallow chamber will be a favorite place for
the bees, some on the frames, others on and under the cobs. In wintering bees
in the open air, so long as weather steady cold bees contract well centrally,
when it warms up they spread out and in a sudden change to cold,
many in the outside cluster do not, as they contract, hit the winter passage and
cannot keep up heat enough and perish. Now if the space above
was warm and bees clustered there centrally would not the cold drive
the bees in outside clusters up where they would meet the bees on top
of frames, join them and be saved, In this changeable climate almost
every sudden and severe change proves fatal to many bees, and no plan
yet tried by me has prevented it. The cold below drives them up, and that
above down and if they miss, as they often do, the winter passage, they die. 
Can the shallow chamber be kept so warm as to prevent this? And yet no
dampness, no condensation to freeze and thaw and wet the bees? I think
the cob box as improved will secure the desired results. (18th) Do not find
bees up in shallow chamber today. 16 degrees. The space overhead is too
large to be kept warm. This would in a great measure be obviated
by hive 12 x 15 x 14. How would this plan answer? Inside square
represents a smaller space (about size of a cluster of bees) made by
strips of paper folded, old woolen, or strips of wood, to make a space
more easily kept warm. Try it on one, say one of the 13 frame
hives. (16th) This P. M. made a cob box 8 x 10 inside, strips 1/4 x 3/8 to hold up cobs 3/8 inches above
frames nailed on sides. Several thicknesses of newspapers line inside of box and
project above it. Old pieces of carpet laid on front tier of cobs, then 2nd tier in opposite direction. 