No. 4.] BEE KEEPING. 81 



between combs of brood. This must be done carefully, or you 

 will lose more than you will gain. As the honey is taken from 

 the hive it should be stored in a warm, dry place, where 

 neither bees nor mice can disturb it, being careful not to put 

 combs containing pollen with those free from it, as the moth 

 worms may not only injure those combs having pollen but 

 many near it. Those having Italians will have little trouble 

 from wax millers. 



After securing a crop, the next work for the bee keeper, 

 even though it seems very early, is to get all colonies in con- 

 dition for winter by providing any that are queenless with a 

 queen or brood or both, and any that are short of stores with 

 plenty of food. This should be done by early feeding or 

 equalizing stores. On a large yard quite a number will be 

 found short of stores, while others have more than they need. 

 By having all frames on the yard of the same size, combs of 

 honey can be taken from the prosperous and given to those 

 needing them. I have done this on a 200 colony yard, where 

 the owner said 50 would have to be fed, and have, by a day's 

 work, put all in such good condition that not a single colony 

 starved during the winter. This was done without weighing. 

 It is simply a question of good judgment. For the inex- 

 perienced it would be safer to weigh each colony, and allow 

 18 pounds of honey ])er hive for cellar wintering and 25 

 pounds for out-door wintering. 



The proper time to put bees in the cellar, to get the best 

 results, seems to be about the latter part of November, choos- 

 ing ;i day of moderate temperature. The ideal cellar for bees 

 is one where a temperature of about 45° can be maintained. 

 Too much humidity in the air is bad, but this may be taken 

 out by occasionally putting a bushel of unslaked lime in the 

 cellar. If the cellar is too close, and the air becomes foul, the 

 bees will set up a great roar instead of the gentle murmur 

 one usually hears. This may be allayed by careful ven- 

 tilation. 



Several friends complained that their greatest loss in the 

 cellar was on the row that set on the cellar floor. At my 

 suggestion empty hives were used on the cellar floor to stand 



