SEPTEMBER 1, 1914 



665 



GENEEAL COMMESPONDENCE 



ENTERING BEES IN THE CELLAR AND ON THE SUMMER STANDS 



BY R. F. HOLTERMANN 



With all that is known in connection with 

 the wintering of bees there are still tremen- 

 dous losses recorded, and from winter to 

 winter a great difference in the outcome of 

 this important problem. What is the rea- 

 son? 7s there a reason? These are ques- 

 tions which may legitimately be asked. That 

 evierybody engaged in beekeeping has some- 

 thing to learn about this question is un- 

 doubtedly true. There is no one who knows 

 it all. 



the brood. Now, I know that honey-dew in 

 winter stores is alien to successful winter- 

 ing. However, I have some 800 colonies to 

 deal with; and to take that honey out of the 

 brood-combs and return each colony to its 

 own brood, and do this in the robbing season 

 means a tremendous outlay of very unpleas- 

 ant work and nerve tension in seeing that 

 every thing is done right. Then there is the 

 syrup to make and feed, with the loss in 

 weight tlu'ough storing. Shall I run chances, 



Fig. 1. 



-Four of Mr. Holtermann's colonies on their summer stands, in which position they are easily 

 brought more closely together for putting into the winter case. 



Undoubtedly like conditions bi-ing about 

 like results. If the results are not alike with 

 conditions alike so far as we can judge, it is 

 simply because conditions that have not yet 

 come under our notice have not been alike, 

 or because we have made an error in judg- 

 ment. 



I am not at all prepared to say that I 

 understand how to winter bees most success- 

 fully, but I am sure I do know how to put 

 bees into winter quarters and have them 

 come out with very little winter loss. But 

 does it pay to carry out practically this 

 knowledge? I mean that there is a question 

 before me at the present moment. The bees 

 during the early part of the clover bloom 

 have gathered quite a perceptible quantity 

 of honey-dew. This went info the brood- 

 chamber, and was stored and capped about 



knowing that the bees in tliis locality gener- 

 allj' get one or two cleansing flights during 

 the winter, coupled with the fact that there 

 is not much honey-dew? So in w^intering as 

 with other problems in connection with the 

 apiary, it becomes a question not only of 

 knowing the best conditions but also of ap- 

 plying the knowledge in management; and 

 not only that, but of judging as to the wis- 

 dom, from a business standpoint, of running 

 risks or chances to avoid an outlay of time 

 and money. 



I am not prepared to say to what extent 

 humidity, temperature, fresh air, and dis- 

 turbance by other colonies, enter into the 

 cellar-wintering problem; but I have no 

 <l()ubt all are important factors. To find out 

 lo what extent they are important is beyond 

 the means and province of the individual or 



