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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. 



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 ^WINTERING BEES IN THE CEI^I^AR. 



BY C. DAVENPOKT. 



I would like to say that the editor selected the title to my former article, on 

 page 658, and I notice he refers to me as a "big bee-man ;" now I have some pretty 

 big bees, but I am not very big myself — I am just middling-sized ! 



This time I will try to say something more about wintering bees in cellars, for 

 successful wintering, to most of us in the Northern and Middle States, is one of the 

 most difficult problems we have in our chosen, and, to me, beloved pursuit. 



In the first place, in carrying the bees into the cellar, I regard it as very im- 

 portant that they are disturbed as little as possible in the operation. If a colony is 

 disturbed enough so that the bees become alarmed, they will fill themselves with 

 honey, or syrup, and they start Into their long confinement under very unfavorable 

 conditions. The hive bottom-boards should be loosened the day before, or in the 

 morning of the day they are to be carried in. I loosen the covers at the same 

 time, and do both as carefully as I can, so that the jar and snapping which is found 

 to take place more or less will disturb them as little as possible. If they are carried 

 in at the time this is done, they are much more apt to become alarmed, for in loos- 

 ening the bottom-boards they are sure to be disturbed some, but not enough but 

 what they will soon quiet down with no harm done, if that is all that happens to 

 them at the time. 



For a long time carrying bees in and out of the cellar was about the hardest 

 and most unpleasant work I found about bee-keeping. But a number of years ago 

 I made a carrier for this purpose, which makes the work much easier, and disturbs 

 the bees less than any plan I ever tried, and I have tried a good many. To make 

 one of these carriers, take two pieces of 2x4 scantling, about 5X feet long. Lay 

 them on the ground edgewise, about two feet apart, and nail across them three 

 narrow pieces of boards, so that two hives will set on these strips lengthwise of the 

 2x4. The middle strip should be a little wider than those at the ends, as one end 

 of both hives will set on this middle board. Near each corner nail a narrow piece 

 of board 6 or 8 inches long for legs. The ends of the 2x4 should be shaved down 

 small enough so that a man can take hold of them like the handles of a wheelbar- 

 row — only have one man at each end. 



On the strips that the hives rest on, and on the bottom of each leg, I nail some 

 pieces of old felt-cloth— an old felt hat is just the thing, or any pieces of thick cloth. 

 This is done to avoid all jars in placing the hives on the carrier, and in setting It 

 down on the cellar bottom. 



With this carrier two men will carry two hives a great deal easier, and disturb 

 the bees less, than each man can carry a hive in his arms. I carry most of ray hives 



