THE AMERICAN APICULTUEIST. 



95 



4. I do not. I examine only suf- 

 ficient to know their need as before 

 stated and supply deficiencies. 



5. As early in the fall as possible ; 

 late handling of bees as a rule is not 

 wise. 



6. This question I could answer at 

 length but have not the time. In this 

 I do not difter from most beekeepers. 



7. I should prefer young bees, as 

 having greater vitality they will stand 

 more grief and last longer in the 

 spring. 



8. I have generally wintered on nat- 

 ural stores — there is nothing better 

 than good syrup of granulated sugar. 



9. I would supply stores as early in 

 the fall as possible. My practice has 

 been to do it in Octobei-. 



10. I have had poor success in winter- 

 ing for a number of years but think in 

 my locality the cellar is the safest. 



Cherry Valley, Neio York. 



ANSWKllS BY JULIUS HOFFMAN. 



1. About Sept. 1st, at close of the 

 buckwheat season. 



2. I cover the frames with a quilt or 

 cushion, which is all that is necessary 

 ■with colonies worked for comb honey. 

 Colonies worked for extracted honey 

 have to be spaced to the number of 

 combs that they should occupy and if 

 deficient iu stores they should be fed 

 at once. 



3. About 1st of Aug., at the begin- 

 ning of buckwheat bloom. 



4. I do not find it necessary to ex- 

 amine my bees late in fall. 



5. The latest time should be at the 

 close of the honey yield. 



6. They should have plenty of bees 

 old and young, well supplied with 

 healthful stores, a good queen not over 

 two years old, and no more combs than 

 they can cover in a cool day of Sept. 

 The combs should not be interchanged 

 after their stores are sealed. 



7. They should have a good number 

 of young bees, but not so young that 

 they would not have a chance to fly 

 several times before winter. 



8. "Would rather have them stored 

 with cofi"ee A sugar, than to let them 

 winter on late gathered, unripe honey. 



9. As soon as the honey yield ceases, 

 but not later than Septeml)er. 



10. With cellar wintering. 



Fort Plain, N. Y. 



ANSWERS BY GEO. W. HOUSE. 



1. About the middle of September. 



2. The hives should be examined 

 that all may have sufficient stores for 

 winter, and a laying queen in each 

 colony. 



3. Worn out aud worthless queens 

 should be superseded during August 

 and first of September. This is the 

 time generally chosen by the bees when 

 they themselves supersede their queen. 



4. Our colonies are seldom examined 

 after October first, and then only those 

 that have been queenless. 



5. About the middle of October. 



6. All colonies should have sufiicient 

 stores to last until the following April 

 at least. A good laying queen, and 

 bees hatching as late as the 10th of 

 November. The hives sliould be packed 

 in chafl", allowing but little upward ven- 

 tilation. 



7. For best success I prefer bees 

 hatched after the first of September iu 

 til is locality, because such bees are of 

 the proper age to stand best our long, 

 cold winters. Do not want many bees 

 hatched after the season becomes so 

 late they cannot fiy. I believe such 

 bees cause the colony to become some- 

 what uneasy. 



8. I much prefer sealed honey, be- 

 cause it is the most natural for the bees. 



9. During the month of September. 

 10. We secure best results Avhen win- 

 tered out-of-doors packed iu chafl', un- 

 der long sheds, setting the hives on 

 about six inches of chafl" or shavings. 



ANSWERS BY L. C. KOOT. 



1. The date varies much with difler- 

 ent seasons and locations. Some of 

 our apiaries aflbrd us no honey after 

 the first to the tenth of August when 

 bass wood fails; other locations when 

 buckwheat, golden rod and sweet clov- 

 er are abundant give some surplus as 

 late as September. 



2. To remove boxes and surplus 

 combs, aud see to it that bv actual 

 weight each stock has in a limited num- 

 ber of combs, from twenty to fifty 

 pounds of winter stores; the amount 

 to vary according to the system of 

 wintering. At this season ail ventila- 

 tion should be closed and larger en- 

 trances contracted. 



3. Vf e re-queen a colony as soon as 

 the old queen shows signs of failing, no 

 matter at what time iu the season. For 



