think patent might be of considerable value. Beekeepers could get if afraid proper persons
to handle their stock and give them not wooden but woolen walls. Stocks moderately
good would winter better in the open air than in cellars or any other repositories. Abundance
of air should be given to keep all dry and sweet. Not near so much capital invested
in the wool as in the winter depositories. Not much more trouble to wool a hive than to
carry in and out. With all its risks, rats, mice, sudden changes to hurt when carried
outside. If it would nearly do away with need of winter depositories might pay well as a
patent. Easy to have small slant from front to rear if great one tended to carry bees too
much among full honey combs. Might lay wool on say 1/3 of bottom board (back 1/3)
so that bottom of frame would bed in wool. If [inserted: dead] bees would not get caught in it so as
not to be easily removed by bees. Easy to find out by experiment whether they can remove them. 
If 1/3 or more of bottom board thus fixed would not bees lie low down and use space between
bottoms of combs and bottom strip of frames as winter passages? Could wool bats or something
of the sort by made and sold for bottom back and over frames? If good, durable and not
expensive, patent concerning this too, would be desirable. [illegible] to find out might
be made so as not to tangle up bees, and very easy put in and taken out for examination, etc. 
Something like coarse felting. 20th. Am satisfied that wool on bottom board would not answer
at all. Bees and debris would lodge in it. On the whole, would prefer to pack wool
upon both uprights and front and rear of hive. Bees could not then gum frames fast to front wall. 
No temptation to remove from center of combs. Of course in doing this winter passages made. Would
not let wool come down too low in front. Instead of cobs elder sticks with wool twisted round for
small box. Bees evidently fond of massing up in such a box, this a part of the insertion. If made
to fit will afford bees access to all the six comb spaces which have been enlarged. This gives 8 x 9
inches old shallow chamber 20 x 14. 25 = 285. 0 only 1/4 of the large one. To make wool
bundles, take thin slats or sticks [crossed out: illegible] 8 inches long, lay down old pieces of woolen rag, carpet,
stocking leg, lay down wool on rag, tie loosely so that woolen rag for underside. Stick gives
stiffness and enables to keep bundles crowded down just as low as you like. Crowd down one
side of one so that bees can reach it from tops of frames. Three bundles to each box bees lying
up against woolen rags, would not get tangled in them, much easier too to make the bundle in this
way, which may be easily packed away to keep from moths, and all ready for another season. 
With such an arrangement, movable comb hives would winter bees better than any other hive. 
The space all round the frames, good in summer to prevent overheating melting of combs. In the
usual mode of wintering this space bad in winter, heat leaving the bees freely in all directions
and no warm clustering spot [crossed out: to] no easy access to all combs, etc. But wool above lets off
dampness, retains heat. Wool on front and rear confined heat, makes hives much warmer than
if doubled, plenty of fresh air can now be given below to keep all dry and sweet, etc. , etc. 
In looking under wool wadded between tops of frames find the bees not hugged up
touching it. They do not fancy being tangled in the wool. Hope they will thus serenely let it
alone. A little practice can make wooling of hives quick work. Twisting small locks of wool
a good way to put them in, twisted with fingers smaller than the space to be filled
they spring to the proper size. Bees can be tangled inextricably in wool. None should
be used where they need to travel, none need be used there. Three woolen bundles pinned
up with a very thin wide slat just the thing for keeping bundles firm.