1891 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



333 



wltli whom I havp talked regard it as unavoid- 

 able. Mold is a plant. When it is found on 

 canned fruit its germs were either in the can 

 when tlie fruit was put in or they got in aft(>r- 

 ward. If the can was air-tight, which can be 

 ascertained on opening it, the mold spores 

 could not have gotten iu. and must, thei-efore. 

 have been in the can wiien the fruit was put in. 

 ! The majority of us use the Mason can with 

 porcelain-lined top. They are musty when 

 new from their straw packing, and. when emp- 

 tied of fruit and stored upon the pantry shelf, 

 there is abundant chance for them to iiecome 

 thickly sown with mold spores floating about in 

 the atmosphere. It is almost impossible to 

 thoi'oughly clean the tojjs and behind tlie por- 

 celain lining. Mold flourishes where it can not 

 be dislodged with ordiuary scalding. However, 

 hot strong borax water will desti'oy the ger- 

 minating power of the S[)ores. so I lnul the tops 

 and scald the cans in it the last thing before 

 the fruit is init in. I shall use. hereafter, the 

 Woodbury can. with glass top. made at Wood- 

 bui'v. New Jersev. Emii,y E. Wf;st. 



Flint. Mich.. Mar. 12. 



00^ QaEgTi0]^.g@;^, 



With Replies from our best Authorities on Bees. 



Question 183. Where I live v'e don't usual- 

 ly have settled weather till well along in April. 

 Sometimes my bees get uneasy early In March. 

 If a warm day comes idxnit that time, would 

 you set out the uneasy ones and let them .stay 

 out, or u-ould you put them bach after a flight,, 

 or would you let tlieii} to\tgh it through in the 

 cellar ? 



We would not put them back at any time. 

 Illinois. N. W. Dadaxt & Sox. 



If very restless, set them out; then set them 

 in. If not verv restless, leave them in until 



spring. 

 California. S. 



R. Wilkin. 



"Tough it through in the cellar,'" but give 

 plenty of ventilation and a drink. They get 

 too dry. 



Illinois. N. W. C. Mrs. L. Harrison. 



I would take them out if the weather were 

 warm, and let them stay out, unless the weath- 

 er should turn cold again. 



Louisiana. E. C. P. L. Viai.lon. 



I would let them "tough it" through in the 

 cellar, and not set them out until outside bees 

 weie gathering pollen. 



Michigan. S. W. James Heddon. 



I would not set them back, and it would be a 

 bad cas<' if I set them out much before the 

 usual time. 



New York. C. P. H. Elwood. 



Set out tlie uneasy ones, and give them pro- 

 tection with an outer case, and jjack with chaff, 

 fine-cut straw, or hay. or an equivalent. 



Ohio. N. W. A. B. Ma.son. 



It might pay in sonif instances to get the 

 noisy ones away from the rest, and sometimes a 

 flight will make them more quiet for a while. In 

 such instances it will pay to take them out for 

 a fly. and return. Early in March would be too 

 early to leave them out, here. 



Wisconsin. S. W. S. I. Freeborn. 



I think I would try to cool them off somehow, 

 and let them remain until after the next cold 

 spell: that is. for this latitude. 



Wisconsin. S. W. E. France. 



Give them water, and leave them in the cellar 

 if they are healthy. But if they have diari-hea, 

 setting them out for a flight! and returning 

 them, might give them relief. 



Vermont. N. W. A. E. Manum. 



Sometimes, and sometimes. If they were 

 daubing things up I should incline to set them 

 out for a flight, and put them back again. If 

 they were tidy I think I should make them stay 

 where they were, somehow or other. 



Ohio. N. W. E. E. Hasty. 



I don't feel entirely sure about it. but I think 

 I"d let them tough" it through. Last spring 

 mine got that way. and I made a lire, heated 

 the cellar, then opened every thing wide at 

 night, and bv morning thev were quieted down. 



Illinois. N. " C. C. Miller. 



In my climate, let them "tough it through in 

 the cellar." There is nothing gained by toting 

 out and back again. If it is really necessary 

 to put them out I would let them " tough it " 

 outdoors. 



New York. E. Rambler. 



If I could take the uneasy ones out without 

 disturbing the rest. I would give them a fly and 

 return tnein. Usually this can not be done, so 

 it is best to let them take their chances in 

 the cellar. 



Illinois. N. C. J. A. Green. 



If I could not quiet them by cooling off the 

 cellar — opening up cool nights — I would take 

 the uneasy ones out and return ihem after a 

 good flight. I do not believe this wise or neces- 

 sary if we are cautious in our management. 



Michigan. C. A. J. Cook. 



If the above party would give his location, 

 his question could be answered more intelli- 

 gently. It appears to me, that, if I were a cel- 

 lar winterer. I would try to quiet my bees in 

 some manner until it was time to set them out 

 for good. A saturated sponge on the entrance 

 or on top of the frames answers the purpose 

 sometimes. 



Ohio. S. W. C. F. Mtjth. 



After trying all the plans yet devised for 

 wintering bees in safety, my idea is this: Put 

 the bees in the cellar early: "keep the tempera- 

 ture at from 43° to 4,5° while they are in the cel- 

 lar, and leave them undisturbed till you are 

 ready to set them out for good — say when the 

 pollen from soft maple and elm is being gather- 

 ed by bees left on their summer stands. 



New York. C. G. M. Doolittle. 



If the bees become uneasy in the cellar, and 

 a bad condition is likely to result from it, they 

 may be beneflted by setting out on a warm day 

 for a flight. But unless the weather is warm 

 they will be damaged instead of benefited. Up- 

 on the whole the chances are about as good to 

 leave them undisturbed until the weather is 

 warm enough to set them out and leave them. 

 If set out early, put back again, especially if 

 light. 



Ohio. N. W. H. R. Boardman. 



[Well, friends. I am a little glad to notice that 

 you do not recommend very strongly carrying 

 bees out and putting them back again, and I 

 believe I agree with vou. In fact. I think I 



