1864. Jan. 23. Journal interrupted from usual head trouble. Dec. 31
Was warm. 5 1/2 PM, 42 degrees, 6 1/2, 32 degrees, 7 1/2, 22 degrees, 10 1/2, 8 degrees. 
Jan. 1st. 7 AM, 16 degrees, 2 PM, 10, 9 PM, 12, and an awful wind,
very cold for 12 days, see my record in Blodget. Today at
7 AM, 11, 2 PM, 48, 9 PM, 46. Beautiful sun, still. 
Bees flew vigorously, some stocks have starved, there has
been a very great consumption of honey, and to save my stock
I must begin to feed. Many are nearly out of honey. I find
only one that died with much honey in hive. That was in
two end combs. The Dzierzon queen breeding. Saw one very handsome
hatched worker. But few stocks have any brood. Some
not the strongest have the most. The bees appeared very healthy,
the sugar syrup has agreed well with them. There is
a very heavy fall of snow on the ground. It is now evident
that the stocks ought to have had more syrup, but perhaps
they could not have sealed over more. Have reason to think
that the destruction of stock in the country generally will be
fearful. (24th) 44 to 49 degrees. Clear, southwest. (25th) 40 to 50 degrees. Clear, southwest. Find
a number of stocks dead, a few which had no winter passages starved
with plenty of honey, most starved having eaten all up. If the
weather continues favorable another day hope to know the condition of
all the stocks, much feeding and eternal vigilance will be necessary
to save the bees now alive. May God enable me to do all that
can be done. (26th) 34 to 48 degrees. Clear. Find many stocks almost out of honey,
a number have died within a week, a number with only handful of
bees but queens all right. Not the strongest have most brood. Most
of hives that faced East or Northeast have most honey, few cold winds from
that quarter, and bees have been more quiet. Splendid weather for
examining, and bees flying will not suffer from feeding (necessary to save
them) as if cold weather had continued. (27th) 32 to 58 degrees. Clear. Find today a
number of stocks without a drop of honey, bees so [crossed out: illegible] eager to rob that it is
very difficult to feed, fear I must lose a number more. (28th) 34 to 60 degrees. 
Clear, for the last week days almost cloudless, calm. Too warm today
to do much with bees, so eager to rob. Would be glad to put a number
of the weakest into nuclei boxes. Very difficult to do anything, or
to know what course to pursue, very much feeding will be
needed to save most of the stocks now alive. Heard bluebird a
few days ago.