Winter Arrangement Contender
February 15, 1868. Have today concluded to discard the cobs. 
The arrangement altogether too complicated. Straw tied into bundles and
cut to suitable length, so as to crowd into the spaces in the sections of the
box dispenses with the rabbet strips. Make the inside box 1/2 inch above
the level of the [crossed out: lower] outside box. Bundles in the outside box kept up
as far above frames as experiment shows to be desirable. Those in the other compartments
to rest on tops of frames. These bundles when tied, to be cut with a
sharp hatchet to suitable lengths. The bees now have a straw cover over the whole
of their hive and as soon as cold weather comes on will be all right. Dr. E. L. Hill suggests
that the sectional box might be dispensed with and the straw bundles used in the
top covers of the hives. The only thing extra then is the straw bundles. The worst feature is
the difficulty of preserving the straw bundles against rats and mice when not in use. 
On bright pleasant days the top cover may be taken off to thoroughly air and dry the
bundles. Might be fitted into the upper sections or surplus honey covers turning them
upside down and when fixed setting on the hives. Better make the roof
however, movable. To get the small, central, shallow chamber A B C D
upper section or surplus honey cover. Make bundles to fill
in A B E F crowded down so as to rest [crossed out: to] [inserted: on] top of frames
also in G H C D. About four bundles needed for this. Then
have two small bundles, or two strips of wood or [inserted: a few] corn cobs. 
Let 1, 1, of the thickness you need to get the proper depth for your shallow chamber. 
If straw mat used should crowd in tight. Might on some accounts be better to dispense with 1, 1,
and keep the bundles in E F G H just high enough from tops of frames to form your shallow
chamber. Bees would then as soon as cold weather came on always contract towards straw
roof and be able to crowd towards center. Easy when bees have well occupied the central
comb and winter has fairly set in, if thought desirable to lift off the straw receiver and put
in 1, 1. Small stocks seem often in the present arrangement to crowd to one side or the other of
the hive. This straw walled shallow chamber would probably keep them in the center. 
If thought desirable, two tiers of bundles might be used, but if bundles were made of the proper
thickness there would be [crossed out: no] need of but one tier. This warm shallow chamber an admirable
place for candy. Easy at any time to examine bees. Lift out one central bundle or tilt
up whole straw cover. Easy to arrange for a feeder for stimulative feeding in spring of water