This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887 edition. Excerpt: ...and disturbed, their vitality was very low, and the old bees, of which most of these colonies were composed fell easy victims to spring dwindling. HIBERNATION. For the purpose of determining the degree of temperature in a dry cellar necessary to secure the minimum of functional activity within the hive during the period of hibernation, I framed comb-frames across each other at right angles, and into these frames I fitted and fastened combs filled with choice sealed honey. These were suspended in hives having glass sides and top, exposing the cluster to view from all sides and from the top. Removable wooden doors covered the glass. My observations covered a period of ninety days from December 1, 1885, and inclnded a range of temperature from zero to 65 F. The hives were placed in a dark apartment, and an oil stove with a radiator was used for heating. Different degrees of temperature were maintained for several consecutive hours, and, as occasion required, for consecutive days, and careful observations were taken. At a range of temperature from 48 to 52 F., according to the humidity of the atmosphere in the cellar, bees, according to a rule of nature, enter into the hibernating state. After repeated trials over a wide range of temperature, at 41 F. I found the shape of the cluster most permanent. While that degree of temperature was maintained, little change in the shape or location of the clusters could be seen, and functional activity on the part of individual bees, and of the whole colony as well, seemed to have reached the minimum degree of manifestation, even respiration seemed to be suspended. The change in the form of the cluster was determined by outline drawings on paper. The colonies presented substantially the same outline for...