oP
in no way can protection Against extremes of cold be so conveniently and cheaply 
Secured. If in winter sawdust or some good non conductor can be placed between 
The outside cover and the glass sides of the hives, and by the use of my compound bars 
The combs be not attached to the sides or top of the hive no amount of cold will
Seriously annoy a good swarm of bees. It will be economy in the long run to pay the price 
Necessary to construct well protected hives, a poor hive will be an expensive article if it 
Cost nothing. It will be seen that by the use of my be bottom board, double glass 
Sides covered way, compound boxes and outside cover a very extraordinary 
Amount of protection is afforded to the bees against extremes of cold and 
Sudden changes of temperature, and this without making the hives clumsy, heavy 
Or very expensive, and without sawdust. I should advise however to put sawdust 
On the top of the Tumblr board, and in the bottom box. If a circle of cheap 
Cotton cloth be put around the hives in winter reaching a few inches above their
Top this may be filled with sawdust, chaff, cotton etc. So as to give a greater amount 
Of protection against cold. In this way if the sides of the hive are double
Glass. The bees will never seriously suffer from the cold, And even if they were would the
Saw dust with the outside cover would give them extraordinary protection. 
Winter protection. The Polish hives are placed upon the ground, which is made
Very hard, and then covered with clean dry sand. I believe that these when not 
Exposed to a very great degree either of cold or heat, seemed to need but little air. 
If they are in thin hives, they must have abundance of air in the summer or else they
Will be greatly distressed by the internal heat. If they are kept too close in such hives in 
Winter the comb will mold and the bees suffer from disease. But suppose that they are kept
Thoroughly protected, is not ventilation over and above what they produce themselves quite
Unnecessary. In trees they generally have such protection, and often originally their entrances 
We're very small. In winter fill in between first with a little sand to stop all 
Crevices between cover and hive. Then fill with dry leaves, the space between the 
Cover and hive [illegible] be greatest front and rear where the bees will suffer most. 
In others well stocked they will keep in the center. (April 24th 1852) fill in with
cotton waste, or wool waste or flax. 



