142 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



Hive until 1879 when I removed from 

 Ciinada to Romeo, Mich. Since that time 

 hiive used the Lani>strolh liive principally 

 ('Heddon's improved). Previous to 1885 

 always wintered on the summer stands, 

 sometimes with loss, sometimes without, 

 sometimes pacl<ed in chart' and aii'ain with 

 chaff only in the caps. Would not winter 

 on summer stands now unless packed in 

 chaff. During the winter of 188-1-5, like 

 many other beekeepers, I lost 100 per cent 

 of my stocks, and in the spring purchased 

 from W. Z. Hutchinson of Kogersville, 

 Mich., and some from Rol)ertson of Pe- 

 wamo. About that time the pollen theory 

 was being quite freely discussed, as well 

 as Heddon's 45 degrees temperature for 

 wintering bees. Of course I had learned 

 that out door wintering was not to be re- 

 lied on in every case (although I think 

 when bees are successfully wintered out 

 doors they are usually in as good condi- 

 tion, but no better, than when wintered 

 in a proper cellar) and my mind was turned 

 at once to preparing a winteriuii- place in- 

 side. I selected a part of n)y cellar about 

 12 X 12 feet under our parlor which is 

 heated with a wood-stove during winter 

 and set up studdinir al)out one foot from 

 stone wall all around, lathed and plastered 

 on the studding and overhead, and on both 

 sides of the partition between the bee 

 cellar and vegetable celhir; also water- 

 limed the bottom and made double doors in 

 the above named partition to keep j)er- 

 fectly dark. In the bee-cellar was one 

 window. I took out the sash and put in 

 three boards, one on the inside and out- 

 side of the window frame, and one in the 

 opening which was left in the lathing 

 and plastering opposite the window. 

 Through these boards I ran a four-inch 

 pipe with three turns in it to shut out liiiht 

 and left a small hole through the ceiling, 

 which of course would only communicate 

 with the space between the ceiling and 

 the upper floor eight inches above. In 

 this I wintered my bees during the win- 

 ter of ls85-() without loss and had them 

 stronger tlirouiih the following summer 

 than ever l)efi)re. also the winter of 188()- 

 7 without loss, and now (Nov. 28) have 

 twenty-live stocks placed in there which 

 are all (juiet and in good condition. When 

 the temperature is about 30 degrees or 

 above, I leave open the ventilator through 

 the window; but when it grows colder it 

 is shut up entirely and the cellar has no 

 ventilation other than the little there 

 might be through Hk; hole in the ceiling. 

 This fall I put them all in with the top- 

 boards glued fast just as the bees left 

 them, and placed a three inch rim under 

 the hives to raise them that distance from 

 the bottom-boards. This is simply to al- 



low the dead bees, etc., to fall away from 

 the cluster and also to give them plenty 

 of lower ventilation. I eicperimentcd with 

 a few in this way last winter and thej' did 

 nicely. The temperature is now 46 and 

 and hns never gone belovv 41. No water 

 in the cellar, but some of the bottom- 

 boards get a trifle mouldy towards spring. 

 The bees keep very quiet and I am pleased 

 with the arrangement. 



Borneo, Mich.., Nov. 28, 1887. 



Clipping Queens' Wings. 



Charles Soi.veson. 



On page 36 of the Apr, L. 11. Lincle- 

 miitli wishes to hear from some one 

 "ripe in experience" in regard to the 

 sudden death of his queens with clipped 

 wings. Well, I do not pretend to be "ripe" 

 enough to account for their death from 

 the particulars that he there gives, but this 

 much I do know (after clipping the wings 

 of hundreds of queens) that with me the 

 bees do not give the slightest attention to 

 the absence of one of their queen's wings. 

 Mr. Lindemuth and others would do well 

 to place more reliance on the teaciiings of 

 men with large experience, such as G. M. 

 Dooliltle, A. I. Root, Dr. C C. Miller and 

 others, before they decide against their 

 methods, fi'om the experience afl'orded 

 with a half dozen colonies or thereabouts 



It is possible that the queens received 

 some injury when they were clipped. I 

 will here give my method of clipping 

 the queens' wings, which differs somewhat 

 from any I have hitherto seen published. 

 With the thumb and flnger catch the 

 queen by the thorax and press her gently 

 down to the comb (I usually hold the 

 comb between my knees) and with a pair 

 of small embroidery scissors in my right 

 hand, remove two-thirds of the featherj' 

 part of both of the wings on one side, 

 and when you let her loose she will go 

 about her business as if nothinii had hap- 

 pened ; while if I take her ofl' of the comb, 

 it is done with more or less violence and 

 with a big scare. 



Nashalah, Wis. 



Comb Honey. 



John Haskin. 



In producing comb honey several things 

 sliould be considered. First, give the 

 bees plenty of shade. I believe in having 

 shade trees. Trim them up so high that 



