AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



819 



unimproved lands on the mountains, range from $2 to $4 per acre. These sections 

 are sparsely settled, but the people in the main are thrifty and prosperous. 



The highlands here are well adapted to fruit-raising. Apples and peaches are 

 the principal fruits grown, and they are not excelled by fruits of the same kind 

 grown anywhere in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. The apple crop 

 has not been a failure but once in more than 20 years. 



The honey crop here has never been an entire failure, in my knowledge, and in 

 fair seasons I am sure that with proper management the yield will be enormous. 

 Bee-culture, on the improved plans, is of recent date here, and no fair tests have been 

 made as to what can be done on this line, but this year, with all the early flowers 

 killed by the freeze in March, my yield was 61 pounds per colony — some colonies 

 giving me 140 pounds. 



The fruit, locust, redbud, blackberry and poplar blooms — each exceedingly 

 valuable here to bee-keepers — were all killed by the March freeze. 



Sneedville, Tenn., Dec. 1. 



^~ Do not write anything for publication 

 on the same sheet of paper witn business 

 matters, unless it can be torn apart wlthou 

 interfering with either part of the letter. 



Fine Weather — Going South. 



We are having very fine weather. 

 The little snow we had in November has 

 all disappeared, and the frost in places 

 out of the ground. We are scraping and 

 fixing the road to-day — 55° above zero 

 yesterday in the shade. I put my bees 

 into cellars Nov. 8. They are quiet and 

 contented at 40^ to 42° above zero. 



I intend to start next week on a trip 

 South — to Florida and several Southern 

 States, to reach Beeville, Tex., in time 

 to take in the convention at Mrs. Atch- 

 ley's place, and get acquainted with 

 our Southern brethren, and their way of 

 bee-keeping. I expect to hear some big, 

 big " blowing up " the country. I will 

 see, and report. C. Theilman. 



Theilmanton, Minn., Dec. 8. 



Wintering Bees in a Cave, Etc. 



The past season has been unfavorable 

 for honey in this locality. I secured 

 400 pounds of comb honey in 1-pound 

 sections from 15 old colonies, and had 



an increase of 6 swarms. My bees are 

 mostly hybrids — in fact, I think it would 

 be difficult to find any pure blaclis here. 

 I had some of Mr. Newman's Italians 

 years ago, when he was editor of the 

 American Bee Journal. I am like some 

 others — for honey I would as soon have 

 the despised blacks. 



I have tried cellar-wintering with 

 rather poor results. For the last four 

 years I have wintered my bees in a cave, 

 as I call it. For the benefit of those 

 who might wish to try a plan not very 

 expensive, I will state how I build mine: 



Select a rise of ground where surface 

 water will not trouble ; dig a trench 4 

 feet wide and 1}4 feet deep, 16 feet 

 long; take 2x6 scantling and place 3 

 inches from the edge on each side; 

 make rafters of the same material, and 

 place 20 inches apart. Cover tight with 

 boards, put in two ventilators made out 

 of inch boards, 3x4 inches inside, then 

 cover over with one foot of dirt, then 

 again with dimension boards to keep off 

 rain, poultry, etc. Let the ventilators 

 come one or two feet above all ; nail a 

 board on top, and bore sufficient holes 

 in below. 



I take off the hive-caps and set the 

 hives on top of each other, and place a 

 tenpenny nail under each honey-board, 

 I use the Adam Grimm-Langstroth hive. 

 I then close up the end, put on the same 

 amount of dirt, boards, etc., and do not 

 go near them until the willows blossom 

 in spring. 



This cave will hold 30 hives. It has 

 the advantage over cellar-wintering 

 under a residence, of absolute darkness, 

 quietness, and about the same temper- 

 ature at all times. I put them in Nov. 

 12 for this year. I took the precaution 

 to see that they had plenty of stores 



