8G 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



CELLAR WINTERING. 



I usually bring the bees out of the 

 cellar at this date, April 12, or a few days 

 later, but if a decitled change for the 

 better does not take place soon, they 

 will have to remain where they are for 

 a week or two longer. 



I put 5 2 colonies in the cellar Nov. 

 17, under our living-room, and they are 

 and have been ever since as quiet as 

 when they were placed there, and not 

 once have they been disturbed in any 

 manner — the best possible condition for 

 wintering safely. 



I have concluded that nothing is 

 gained — a positive injury to examine 

 bees frequently — to go into their room 

 with a lamp, or allow a ray of light to 

 penetrate their apartment during con- 

 finement under ground. Should they 

 become restless, it is not to their advan- 

 tage to investigate the cause thereof 

 under tlie glare of a strong light ; the cel- 

 lar is no doubt too warm. 



Should they lack stores, the cellar 

 (as a rule) is too small to admit of tree 

 circulation among the hives, if your cir- 

 cumference nearly equals your height 

 as in my case. You should have pro- 

 vided for necessities six months before. 



I believe the secret of successful win- 

 tering is very simple. 



Provide plenty of food in October, 

 if lackmg. Place a warm covering of 

 burlap or other porous material over the 

 brood frames before cold weather sets 

 in, although this is not always a saving 

 ordinance every season, for I have win- 

 tered bees in good shape without any 

 covering, whatever, but still I think it 

 best to "tuck them up warm," in order 

 that they may be left much longer out 

 of doors — as late as Nov. 17, in this lat- 

 itude (weather permitdng of course). 



Carry them carefully into the cellar 

 at night, or when too cold for them to 

 fly with safety. 



I have not found it necessary to raise 

 the cover for ventilation, or remove the 

 bottom board as recommended by many 

 beekeepers. 



I now think I made a serious mistake 

 formerly in putting my bees in the cel- 



lar too early in the season, as the heat , 

 seemed to make them restless, "roar | 

 loudly," and crawl out of the hives. I ' 

 have yet to hear them make a "roaring ; 

 sound" in cold weather ; overheating 

 will. 1 



I believe it is detrimental to ordina- ; 

 rily strong colonies to open the outside ! 

 cellar door before you are ready to carry 1 

 them out, unless they are badly diseased ; 

 for I have noticed tliat after they once 

 "taste" or smell the fresh spring air la- " ] 

 den with the aroma of spring flowers, 

 they can no longer be kept within bounds. { 

 Such days usually come before it is safe ; 

 to remove them from winter quarters. , 



I am anxiously waiting for a report of \ 

 your bee-house ; the benefits to be de- 

 rived by its use ; its superiority over a \ 

 cave or cellar ; whether or not bees can ■ 

 be wintered therein better and with less i 

 loss than in a cellar; cost of heating, \ 

 and a thousand and one other questions 

 pertaining to the same. 



I pay but fifty cents for help to store 

 away my bees in the fall, and the same ' 

 amount to take them out again. 



If I can devise or be taught a better 

 plan than I have adopted, I am willing '. 

 to be enlightened, or if there is a more 1 

 successful method in vogue than mine, 

 I am willing to adopt that also. ; 



Yours for success and better methods ; 

 in apiculture, 



Madison, Neb. A. C. Tvrrel. ; 



FACTS CONCERNING.EXTRACTED 

 HONEY. 



As the circulars and text-books do ; 



not seem to present the wb.ole truth in ' 



regard to extracted honey, I thought j 



that what your humble servant has ob- j 



served along this line might not come ' 

 amiss. 



The Dadants say in their circular : i 



"Honey should not be extracted when | 



first harvested as it is watery, unripe and j 



will sour." j 



Many others say : Honey should 1 

 never be extracted until it is rapped. 



Professor Cook in his manual says : I 



"As there is danger of imperfect ripen- . 



