FIFTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII. 



525 



past 10 years. I have never kept an exact account of the per cent of loss, 

 but don't think it would average more than from 3 to 5 per cent in 

 normal colonies. 



I never could understand why a good dry cellar with plenty of pure 

 air and the bees with plenty of good stores wouldn't winter bees success- 

 fully, but seemingly some don't. 



Before I close my subject I wish to mention one thing that is of vital 

 importance to cellar wintered bees, and that is don't put the bees out too 

 early in the spring. Here is where lots of the so-called cellar losses come 

 in. 



Pangburn Apiary. 



You hear a good deal about spring dwindling. Personally, I don't think 

 I have had bother enough with that to mention it. I think there is a 

 remedy for most of this trouble and it is left for the beekeeper to apply. 



I never put my bees out of the cellar until the soft maples are in bloom 

 a la Miller. This year it was the 13th of April, soft maple froze on the 

 trees and gone when bees went out. Bees never went out in finer condi- 

 tion. But they had all the fresh air I could get into the cellar in the 

 spring. 



No use to set bees out of the cellar in March when weather is change- 

 able and nothing to do. It is mighty hard on cellar wintered bees. They 

 will get out on days not fit, chill, and never get back to the hive. 



