Publisht Weekly at 118 Michigan St. 



George W. York, Editor. 



11.00 a Year— Sample Copy Free. 



38th Year. 



CHICAGO, ILL., MARCH 31, 1898. 



No. 13. 



Taking the Bees Out of the Cellar. 



BY DR. C. C. MILLER. 



Having received a letter from Mr. M. M. Baldridgp, 

 a part of which is of such general interest, 1 send it for publi- 

 cation, as follows : 



Friend Miller : — My 31 colonies of bees in the cellar 

 were taken out to fly, and to remain out, on March 8. It was 

 warm enough on March 7, but there was too much snow on 



the ground. On March 8 I waited till the afternoon, so as to 

 have as liltle snow as possible when the bees would begiu to 

 fly. I began at 1 p.m. to carry the bees out, and had them all 

 out by 2:30. They had a very good flight, but a much better 

 one on March 9. It was 54^ in the shade at 1 p.m. March 8, 

 and 56° at 2:30. The next day it was up to 64'^ in shade. I 

 am glad to have the bees out-doors now, and that they had 

 such a good flight. 



I had one colony out-doors all winter, packt In planer- 

 shavings. I rather think it has wintered all right, but the 

 bees did not fly therefrom until March 8, and not then until it 

 was over 50- in the shade ! 



As I do not touch my bees for at least a month or six 

 weeks after they are put out to fly, I cannot tell very well till 

 then how well they have wintered. I may then be able to 

 determine whether the packt colony outdoors has wintered 

 better than those in the cellar. I am at present Inclined to 

 think that a less number of bees have died in that colony 

 than in any of the others. My cellar Is pretty warm, but none 



Apiary of F. J. R. Davenport, in Ellis Counly, Texas. 



