June 29th 1852 today temperature 52 degrees. Bright sunshine. Bees in one of my flattest 
hives brought in be bread of a red color, this hive has a bright sunny exposure, but it has 
no extra covering, it contained a small artificial swarm, they have done wintered most 
admirably. I shall try to encourage them in early breeding, and test the advantage of an 
exposure to the sun. A hive today well protected and in the shade did not fly at all. 
February 2nd the flat hive has been fed to encourage comb building and breeding, 
and very well covered as the weather has changed to cold. I notice that the bees 
have commenced [illegible] at the entrance. Query does not comb building 
deteriorate the air of the hive, as well as increase its heat, and thus cause 
A necessity for ventilation it does not exist when the bees are inactive. 
February 5th opened my flat hive and found that a great many cells contained young worms 
The bees today brought in some bee bread I should think from the red Maple. A 
hive will protected did not fly, until some of the covering was removed, this shows how 
these hives will keep the bees quiet when the ground is covered with snow, and it is not 
desirable to have them leave their hives, it also supports my view that such hives 
ought to have their covers taken off in early spring on [illegible] days to encourage 
early breeding, no danger in this as the high are covered again before night. 
February 10th separated a part of a swarm with a divider. 11th today 
they appear sensible of their calamity. 13th today I find 2 Royal cells started 
14th they have advanced since yesterday, weather cold and snowy. 16th I find 
4 Royal cells, but they are all tenantless. I allowed them to go back to the 
Parent s warm. Shall resume the experiment when the bees can gather abroad. The 
part separated had only New comb without be bread. February 23rd the bees in my 
experimental hive have reared no new brood, there is no be bred in the hive it 
[illegible] as late artificial swarm of last season. I examined colony today but 
find no eggs. I have given them a lot of be bread taken from another hive 
24th they have taken nearly all their be bread, The queen has laid a multitude 
of eggs, they have taken a great quantity of water from their feeder, which 
they had neglected before. Have again separated them to raise new queens. 
25th The queen reared last summer artificially which starved examined today 
[illegible] too much dried to determine anything, [illegible] nice full of sperm. 
26th Royal cells begun 27th continued 28th continued 



