1891 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



381 



MOKE THAN HALF THE BEES DEAD. 



More than half of all the hees in this part of 

 the country have died through the winter, but 

 thev were all in box hives. J. A. Shonp:. 



Salem, Miss.. March 30. 1891. 



BEES IN THE CELEAK WlNTEltED BEST. 



Our bees wintered much better in the cellar 

 than those out of dooi's: but both are very 

 short of stores. I shall have to feed more large- 

 ly this spilng than we have ever done: but at 

 this date we find but two dead: but several are 

 very weak, and will ])robably die if not helped 

 or united with some other colonies. 



M]{S. L. C. AXTEEI,. 



Roseville. 111., April 13. 



THE WINTERING OF E. FRANCE'S BEES. AND 

 PROSPECTS FOR THE SEASON. 



We have just finished looking over the bees, 

 and find them in good condition. White clover 

 is looking well. We have spoken for 50,000 lbs. 

 of honey if the season is good. But I am afraid 

 that we have too many bees for our pasture. 

 First pollen April 12. We have drones hatched 

 in several hives already, only eight days since 

 the first pgllen. Big hives do it. 



Platteville, Wis., April 18. E. France. 



THE OUTLOOK IN CALIFORNIA. 



The season here is very late this year. It has 

 been cold and backward! But the " tilleree " is 

 out in all its glory, and the bees are booming 

 on it. The black sage is shooting up its long 

 slender stems that bear the buds and blossoms. 

 and will soon throw out its white-purple banner 

 to the breeze, and the bees will have a picnic. 

 We have had a bountiful supply of rain up to 

 the present time, but we'll need another good 

 one early in April to make a good season. If it 

 comes in plenty, you will hear fi'om here in the 

 way of a honey crop. If it does not come, the 

 output will be about the same as last year. It 

 is a singular fact, that, in a half-crop year, we 

 get a larger proportion of white honey. The 

 white honey comes first, while the ground is 

 still damp. The drouth dries up many of the 

 flowers that yield the dark honey. 



Sumac, Cai., March :.'7. J. P. Israel. 



With Replies from our best Autliorities on Bees. 



Question 184. I have single-walled hives, 

 and winter in cellar. Will it pay to give anii 

 extra protection after the bees are Udien out in 

 the spring ? If so, what woiild you use f 



No. 



Illinois. N. W. 



Dadant & Son. 



I don't think it is necessary. 



Louisiana. E. C. P. L. Viali-on. 



I think the extra protection would be a good 

 thing. 

 Wisconsin. S. W^. E. France. 



Yes, I think it would if you live in a ratlier 

 cool climate like our own. 

 Michigan. S. W. James Heddon. 



I prefer to keep them in the cellar ([uite late. 

 Nothing is lost by so doing, and much gained. 

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



My bees requii-e no better protection in win- 

 ter or summer than single-walled hives. 

 Ohio. S. W. " C. F. Muth. 



Yes, an outer case, if taken out of cellar ear- 

 ly: in fact, an outer case is beneficial through- 

 out the season. 



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



With our hives we see that the bees are cov- 

 ered up waim. and then let them go. I doubt 

 whethei- packing would pay. 



New Yoik. C. " P. H. Elwood. 



It will probably pay to have cheap rough 

 boxes to set them in. and till between them and 

 the hives with chaff. 



Calilprnia. S. R. Wilkin. 



I've had no experience, but I suspect it might 

 pay to have an outside sliell, such as the 28 

 friend Root is trying this winter. 



Illinois. N. C. C. Miller. 



1. Yes, it will pay well. 2. A box eight inches 

 larger each way than the hive, packed with 

 planer shavings, sawdust, leaves, or chaff, and 

 having a good tight roof. 



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



1. If colonies are strong, and have abundance 

 of stores, tliey will likely remain quiet, and need 

 no protection. 2. Any treatment that keeps 

 the bees quiet is good protection. 



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



I think it will, but can not say from experi- 

 ence. Contract to six fi'ames, and use two chaff 

 dummies inside. My preference would be for 

 light one-story chaff hives, used both in the cel- 

 lar and out. 



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



I believe it pays ivell. I use a cheap, rough. 

 J^-inch board outer case, and pack with chaff' 

 or cut straw, or an equivalent. I have done 

 this for several years with a part of my colonies, 

 and shall try to fix all so the coming spi-ing. 



Ohio. N. W. A. B. Mason. 



I have proved by actual test for the past two 

 years that it does pay well. I use a simple 

 case with cover that I use for a shade-board 

 later in the season. I nail but slightly, so as to 

 separate the sides as I pack them away. 



Michigan. C. A. J. Cook. 



I use chaff hives, and winter in the cellar, 

 and want no single-walled hives for the pro- 

 duction of honey. This I say after using single- 

 walled hives for 20 years, and single-walled 

 hives and chaff' hives side by side for 10 years 

 of that time. 



New York. C. G. M. Doolittle. 



If bees are held in the cellar until soft maple 

 is in blossom, we find it unnecessary to give 

 cumbersome protection. But if I had to use 

 something I would draw over the hive a case 

 made of paper and oil cloth. I am even winter- 

 ing bees outdoors with such a hood. 



New York. E. Rambler. 



It pays to protect fi'om prevailing Avinds, 

 either singly or the whole yard. It is best to 

 give thein the full lienefit of the sunshine 

 through the spring months. Swarms that have 

 wintered well will be all right if so treated: if 

 not all right, no kind of tinkering will prove 

 satisfactoi-y. 



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



[Well, now, friends, after the above testimony 

 we have in favor of cellar protection, after they 

 are put out of the cellar why not. at least in 

 moderate climates, let the protection take the 

 place of the cellar, and then there is nothing 



