FIFTY YEARS A^IOXG THE BEES 25 



This warmed up my zeal considerably. In the winter I 

 lost three colonies, so I commenced the season of 1871 

 with 16 colonies, took 408 pounds of honey, and, the sea- 

 son being favorable, I increased without much difficulty 

 until I reached thirty or forty, and I thought it would 

 be a nice thing to have an even fifty, so I reached about 

 that number, for so manv of them were weak, that I am 





Fig. 6 — Heddon Slat Honey-Board. 



not sure exactly how many it would be fair to call them. 

 I fed them some quite late, too late for them to seal 

 over, and they were put into the cellar with little anxiety 

 as to the result. 



DISASTROUS WINTERING. 



In the winter they became quite uneasy, and Feb- 

 ruary 11 I took out five colonies, which flew a little, and 

 then I put them back. They continued to become more 

 uneasy and to be affected with diarrhoea, and, February 

 22, I took them all out and found only twenty-three 



