THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



271 



and do not take off the sack next to the 

 frames, unless you have cause to warrant 

 the removal. 



The tiurd method. You prepare the 

 bees in same way as in the second. The 

 only ditVerence is. the colonies may 

 be weaker than in the second method, but 

 the same in all other respects. When 

 prepared as above;, put them in any dry 

 cellar, with the temperature between 40 

 and 45 degrees. When I say dry, I mean 

 so dry that no dampness from rain or 

 mold ever occurs. Then put in as soon 

 as freezing begins; you may put them in 

 any dry room where the cold does not get 

 below 38 degrees, for they are far better 

 out than if frost reaches them. As often 

 as the weather will admit set them out 

 and give them a flight, but be careful not 

 to let them get very cold, for they are 

 very sensitive to cold, and cannot endure 

 as much as though they had been out all 

 the time. Place them where it is quite 

 dark, and do not let in any light, nor dis- 

 turb them at all. All the noise you can 

 make does not interrupt them, but jarring 

 annoys them great!}-. 



Nuclei can be kept by the first or third 

 methods, but not by the second, nor even 

 a weak colony. When I keep bees in the 

 North, again, which I shall do (if life is 

 prolonged), I will adopt the first method 

 for all weak stocks and nuclei, if not 

 for strong hives, and never use the third, 

 unless I could not get either of the others, 

 for as soon as it freezes in the cellar your 

 bees are half ruined and balance badly 

 damaged. The point in the third is to 

 not allow the temperature below 33 de- 

 grees, and quite dry, then all is right. 



If these directions are followed, and 

 they are standard colonies, any one is cer- 

 tain of success. I never lost a hive by 

 the second method, and only one by the 

 first, but lost several by the third ; and 

 there was only a half inch of ice in the 

 cellar. The second will be one mostly pur- 

 sued, and it you bring your bees up to 

 the number one point, in October, it is as 

 good as any and much the cheapest. 



SPRINGING. 



On this part of my article depends the 

 success of a good yield of honey, »/ na- 

 ture secretes any of her nectar in the 

 abundance of her flowers, but if she fails, 

 as she did in the last three years, in al- 

 riiost all the United States, then " winter- 

 ing and springing" avails but little. But 

 we will hope; still strive and look for- 

 ward to the favored day for blessings. 



We will once more try and winter safe- 

 ly as we can, then spring them, and look 

 for an abundant harvest. Spring them as 

 follows: 



As soon as the weather will admit, 

 commence to stimulate breeding; warm 

 syrup scented with lemon extract, if they 

 have need of empty comb for the queen, 



then take out one filled with capped hon- 

 ey, and insert an empty one in the centre 

 of the hive for the queen, and as soon as 

 filled insert another. Feed regularly, for, 

 as soon as you stop feeding, the queen 

 quits laying eggs, and it takes several 

 days to start her again. It is, therefore, 

 of great importance to feed regularly un- 

 til honey comes, and, in a case of a cessa- 

 tion of yield, then feed again, and as soon 

 as honey comes you are prepared to take 

 it. Should you have weak colonies, 

 double up, for one strong colony can 

 raise more brood than three weak ones 

 for several reasons — weak ones are sub- 

 ject to the moth ; they cannot hatch many 

 eggs at a time ; they cannot defend them- 

 selves from robbers, nor gather any honey, 

 as it requires all their force at the hive 

 and none to go abroad tor stores ; also re- 

 quires a greater amount of honey in pro- 

 portion, to keep up the temperature; keep 

 them strong, if you have to put four into 

 one. I again repeat, bring your colonies 

 up to the highest strength possible, if you 

 would secure large yields. 



SUCCESS IN THE APIARY 



depends upon close attention and proper 

 care in wintering; stimulation m spring- 

 ing; these regularly attended to will al- 

 ways give strong atockt for wintering and 

 honey season. Do your swarming after 

 honey season is over. 



Simpson's Store, Pa., April 17th, 1875. 



4 



For tlie American Bee Journ-al, 

 A few Words from Southern California. 



I feel as though I must enter my protest 

 against some of the sweeping assertions 

 made in the July number, by R. J. Col- 

 burn, of Chicago, in regard to the bees 

 and honey of Southern California. 



After giving to that 'section the prefer- 

 ence as the greatest honey-producing 

 country of equal area in the world, he 

 says; " I am further satisfied, that its 

 distance from good markets, and liabilities 

 to the disease, known as 'foul brood,' as 

 well as ravages from the moth, may re- 

 duce the high estimate some people have 

 of it." True, we are quite a distance from 

 market, but we cannot always get pro- 

 ducers and consumers together. Califor- 

 nia wheat is the best the world produces, 

 and it pays to ship to Europe; that may 

 yet be our best market for honey; and at 

 paying prices too. Then, the yield of 

 honey is so abundent here, (in good sea- 

 sons) and our losses of bees so small, tiiat 

 we can as well afli"ord to ship our lioney to 

 Chicago or N. Y., as those who live nearer, * 

 and lose from one-quarter to three-quar- 

 ters of their colonies every winter. As to 

 'foul brood,' it is something I know noth- 

 ing about, never having seen any of it, 

 nor met with any one who has in South- 



