t kept perfectly dark, a few would leave the hives in either
case. I have found it much better to make the room dark to keep the
bees in the hive, than to tie over them a thin muslin cloth, as that
prevents a free passage of the vapor, and a great number of full stocks
were not at all satisfied in confinement; and were continually
worrying, and biting at the cloth, till they had made several holes
through it for passages out. Thus the little good was attended by an
evil, as an offset. Even wire cloth put over to confine them, which
would be effectual, would not save bees enough to pay expense. I have
thus wintered them for the last ten years, and am extremely doubtful if
a better way can be found.[17] For several years I made use of a small
bed-room in the house, made perfectly dark, in which I put about 100
stocks. It was lathed and plastered, and no air admitted, except what
might come through the floor. It was single, and laid rather close,
though not matched.

[17] I was so well pleased with my success, especially with small
families, that I detailed the most important points in a
communication to the Dollar Newspaper, Philadelphia, published
November, 1848.

A ROOM MADE FOR WINTERING BEES.

In the fall of 1849 I built a room for this purpose; the frame was
eight by sixteen feet square, and seven high, without any windows. A
good coat of plaster was put on the inside, a space of four inches
between the siding and lath was filled with saw-dust; under the bottom
I constructed a passage for the admission of air, from the north side;
another over head for its exit, to be closed and opened at pleasure, in
moderate weather, to give them fresh air, but closed when cold, and so
arranged as to exclude all the light.

A partition was extended across near the centre. This was to prevent
disturbing the whole by letting in light when carrying them out in the
spring. By closing the door of this partition, those in one room only
need be disturbed at once.

MANNER OF STOWING AWAY BEES.

Shelves to receive the hives were arranged in tiers one above the
other; they were loose, to be taken down and put up at pleasure.
Suppose we begin at the back end: the first row is turned directly on
the floor, a shelf is then put across a few inches above them, and
filled, and then another shelf, still above, when we again begin on the
floor, and continue thus till the room is full; or if the room is not
to be f