1376 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Nov. 1 



aturo it woukl have done just as well, and I 

 guess better. 



I wonder bow it woukl do to have part of 

 the Hoor abocc them of metal on which one 

 could put ice. Of course, a drainage-pipe 

 would l)e needed to carry otf the water from 

 said metal floor, then in cold weather t-over 

 with sawdust. But we may never have an- 

 other winter like this. 



In regard to the proper temperature for a 

 l)ee-cellar. I want to go on record as an ad- 

 vocate of anywhere from 38. possil)ly 35 to 

 55, according to the atmospheric condition 

 of the cellar. If a cellar ))e very dry a low 

 temperature will do: liut if damp it must be 

 kept up. In December. 45 might he right, 

 while iu February 50 or 55 might be best for 

 the same cellar, or vice versa. Dampness in 

 a cellar does not necessarily injure l)ees: but 

 moisture inside of the hives does. Now, I 

 .suppose some are thinking. "Yes, how nice 

 it is to have the hives dry and sweet inside! 

 but how ai'e we to secure such a condition?" 



The first move toward it is, not to let the 

 moisture get into the hives to any extent. 

 The second is. to provide means for its es- 

 cape if it is there. Moisture in a hive can 

 not be dispelleil only as it is done at the ex- 

 pense of the colony, as long as the hive has 

 a sealed cover. Leaving the bottoms off 

 helps some, but the many disadvantages due 

 to it, and the piling of hives up zigzag style, 

 as you have advised, more than offsets the 

 little gained. 



One can not put them in as you advise 

 without ifdkiug them. They take more 

 room. If one colony becomes uneasy the 

 Ijees crawl over and into adjoining hives and 

 stir them up also. Any tlisturl)ance of one 

 hive is transmitted to all in the same pile, or 

 as many as are on the same scantling: and 

 when ready to be taken out it is "just awful "' 

 the way they crawl out and all over the 

 hives just as soon as a few have l)een taken 

 oft", and the rest disturbetl l)y the jarring. 

 To get rid of the moisture in the hives, just 

 cover the frames with a thickness of cloth, 

 l)urlap, or. better, a piece of carpet: then a 

 thickness of paper, over which lay another 

 cloth. If there is much moisture in the hive 

 the paper should not be used. If the colony 

 is small a thin cushion over all is needed. 

 Leave the l)ottoms on: set the first one on a 

 box or .short blocks, never on long scantling. 

 Pile up with sticks between. Half an inch is 

 enough. 



These directions are for bees put iu when 

 they ought to be, which is just as soon as 

 they cease to fly in search of honey, and 

 seem to be in a semi-dormant condition. 

 Here this occurs the last of October anil first 

 part of December, depending on the colony. 



I have said something about not letting 

 the moisture get into the hives. By this I 

 mean put them in early, or at least at a 

 time when the combs and hives are thorough- 

 ly dry if possilile. When the bees have lie- 

 come' settled for winter, a flight two weeks 

 later is of no particular value to them pro- 

 viding they have Ijeen in the proper ({uar- 

 tei's. But if they pass that — two or more 



weeks in cold damp (juarters they are pretty 

 likely to l)e in a ct)ndition that makes a 

 flight desirable liefore putting them in the 

 cellar. 



This is not mere theory or guesswork, for 

 the early cellaring of l)ees has ceased to be 

 even an experiment with me: and while on 

 this sul)ject I want to call your attention to 

 the question of who was the first one to ail- 

 vocate the early cellaring of bees. In your 

 eilitorials you speak of it as Hutchinson's 

 plan, or idea: and while he is now an advo- 

 cate of it (for he is quick to know a good 

 thing), if you will turn to the Revieic for 

 November. 1005. page 33'2. you will see that 

 I sent him an article a year earlier (see date 

 of article), advocating it and stating my 

 reasons for so iloing. These conclusions had 

 been reached after several experiments made 

 by putting in a part of my bees on the flrst 

 of November, and the rest a few weeks 

 later. The early-cellared ones always come 

 out best. Among those that I put in the 



Be proud of your swollen eyel 



It isn't the fact that you're licked that counts 

 It's how did you tiyht— and why'r 



Edmond Vance Ccoke. 



last of October or first of November, 1904. 

 were ten that I hauled six miles and took 

 them right from the wagon to the cellar. 

 They wintered perfectly. All of my bees 

 were in before Nov. 15, and ncme had a 

 flight until taken out in March and April, 

 ami I think the loss was not two per cent. 

 I took ten colonies out March 15. and all 

 went lovely. I shall try more this spring. 

 I don't know that it is a good plan to set 

 bees out early in March, but I think that, if 

 they are at "all restless, they are better otf 

 out" than in. The idea held by many, that 

 thev are more sensitive to cold after l)eing 



