CELLAR WINTERING 253 



plentiful supply for spring brood rearing after the colony is 

 placed upon the summer stands, as it is rather difficult to practise 

 feeding satisfactorily at this season of the year. 



Where cellar wintering is practised the bees should be taken 

 in as soon as possible after the weather becomes so cold that there 

 is little chance of further flight. It is well, also, to leave them 



Fig. 118. — Concrete cellar for wintering. 



in the cellar in spring until warm days are the rule. Many bee- 

 keepers take them out when the maples bloom. If conditions 

 are favorable they will get honey and pollen at once and will, 

 perhaps, be self-supporting from the time they are taken out. 

 However, it so frequently happens that they will be unable to 

 get anything from the field for weeks at a time in early spring 

 that the wise bee-man should always see that they have enough 

 old stores for emergencies. As previously mentioned, stores 

 of good quality are essential to successful wintering in the cellar. 



