In central part of state over a foot of snow. 4th Believe there was no flour in that candy. If so the
stimulus came from candy and the bees used the bee bread. Shall examine tomorrow to see if they have
bee bread yet, the sight of the strong neighbors stock with no brood, having no winter passages,
suggest one reason for bees in old box hives being usually so much stronger in early spring. They
intercommunicate freely, Queen not much disposed to lay when she cannot freely pass from comb
to comb. An old comb overhead and winter passages and the combs where the main cluster
is a little wider apart will remedy all this. In two of the new twin chaff hives to which
old colonies transferred find bees well up to the thin central partition, to get the winter
shallow chamber in twin hive, [illegible] had 3/8 inch strips to the uprights of frames of old comb, let the upper
strip or top of frame be kept about 1/4 inch from the partition, thus lay carpet over the tops
of all the frames. With chaff division board confine bees to the proper space. Hole in cushion
for bottle water or liquid feeder made so as to come right for the holes in the covering comb. 
Good care taken in preparing bees for wintering to have plenty of honey in comb near the partition
board of the two hives. I believe in this way bees will winter in the open air for all general
purposes than in any other way. March 4th 34 to 46 degrees bees not flying. Breeding about all
suspended in trial here. Only a few larvae, bee bread all gone. Iodine test shows no flour in
the candy. Gave comb with some bee bread. 5th 36 to 50 degrees. Dense fog, then beautiful calm day. 
Put flour on straw on slanting boxes, put comb to attract bees, soon begin, then heavy
work. 6th 50 to 60 degrees heavy rain in am. PM cloudy. Bees working on flour in the boxes
covered, lid open enough to admit them. Trial hive had much flour in cells. Gave
them plenty of bee bread in a shallow chamber frame. Bees must moisten flower with
honey to pack on legs. In natural pollen it is damp enough to pack, or they get honey from
blossom to pack. Is not this the reason they cease to work on flour when natural pollen comes. [inserted: flour being as good]
Today made an advance on my frame. When driven together use
no bottoms, corners nailed, no dovetails needed. Very stiff frame. 
The uprights may be only 1/4 inch scant thick, as the corners give strength just where
it is needed. Bottom rail may be used, would not be wanted except when used in upper story. 
6th Cloudy, cool. Bees still get some flour. 7th 46 to 56 degrees. Rainy a little am. 
A little work done on the flour. 8th 40 to 76 degrees. Summer like. Bees wonderfully stimulated
by flow. (9th) 50 to 72 degrees occasional showers. Wheat, barley, Clover looking unusually well. Peaches gone. 
 (10th) 50 to 74 degrees bees work on red Maple and Arbor vitae. Thundershowers 7 PM tremendous shower. heavy thunder. 



