find the combs and sides of
the hive covered with a white frost. In the middle of the day, or as
soon as the temperature is slightly raised, this begins to melt,--first
next to the bees, then at the sides. A succession of cold nights will
prevent the evaporation of this moisture; and this process of freezing
and thawing, at the end of a week or two, will form icicles sometimes
as large as a man's finger, attached to the combs and the sides of the
hive. When the bottom of the hive is close to the floor, it forms a
sealing around the edges, perfectly air-tight, and your bees are
smothered. I have frequently heard bee-keepers say in these cases, "The
storm blew in, and formed ice all round the bottom, and froze my bees
to death." Others that have had their bees in a cold room, finding them
thus, "could not see how the water and ice could get there any way;
were quite sure it was not there when carried in," &c. Probably they
never dreamed of its being accounted for philosophically, and to
analyze anything pertaining to bees would be rather small business. But
what way can it be accounted for?

FROST AND ICE IN A HIVE ACCOUNTED FOR.

Physiologists tell us "that innumerable pores in the cuticle of the
human body are continually throwing off waste or worn out matter; that
every exhalation of air carries with it a portion of water from the
system, in warm weather unperceived, but will be condensed into
particles large enough to be seen in a cold atmosphere." Now, if
analogy be allowed here, we will say the bee throws of waste matter and
water in the same way. Its food being liquid, nearly all will be
exhaled--in moderate weather it will pass off, but in the cold it is
condensed--the particles lodge on the combs in form of frost, and
accumulate as long as the weather is very severe, a portion melting in
the day, and freezing again at night.

THE EFFECT OF ICE OR FROST ON BEES AND COMB.

When the bees are not smothered, this water in the hive is the source
of other mischief. The combs are quite certain to mould. The water
mould or dampness on the honey renders it thin, and unhealthy for the
bees, causing dysentery, or the accumulation of faeces that they are
unable to retain. When the hive contains a very large family, or a very
small one, there will be less frost on the combs,--the animal heat of
the first will drive it off; in the latter there will be but little
exhaled.

FROST MAY CAUSE STARVATION.

This frost i