STATE BEE-KEEPERS ASSOCIATION. ;.; 121 



no fear but what they would come out all right; that they 

 would winter safely. 



Mr. Longsdon — Mr. Thompson has told us how we may 

 move bees without harm. Put them in a cellar or warm place 

 until they get quiet and cluster. It is no trouble. But to 

 rouse them up in cold weather you are simply destroying 

 lots of them unnecesarily. Give them a warm place to re- 

 cluster in. 



Mr. Wheeler — Some 15 years ago I moved 24 colonies 

 to Iowa on a freight train with a lot of stock and stuff. After 

 I got there, they were unpacked and I piled them up an<5 

 covered them with chaff and straw and let them stand there 

 nearly a month before having a flight, and every colony 

 lived and was strong and in good condition, and I was quite 

 surprised myself that they came through. They weren't 

 put in a cellar. The atmosphere was zero. 



Mr. Hintz — I had a little experience in that thing that 

 I will relate the results of next fall. I moved a lot yesterday 

 on a common hay-rack, 14 colonies, and five in a little spring 

 wagon, and they got roused up on the gravel road. They 

 were three miles from home and I didn't have time to take 

 off the stories. They got roused up, but after awhile they 

 settled down, and I think they will winter just as well as any. 

 I moved some before in winter weather. They had a good 

 lot of honey, and a good clustering place. They didn't get 

 separated in the comb, but only pretty well stirred up, and there 

 was a clustering place or super up above where they clus- 

 tered between. There is no danger, and especially three or 

 four weeks after, if they can have a good flight. I will report 

 next fall at our meeting. I have 2t7 colonies to move, and 

 every hive with honey. Both stories are full. 



Mr. Wilcox — It would be well to offer a word of cau- 

 tion. One fall, the harvest over, the hives were turned over 

 in the snow before carrying them into the cellar . for winter, 

 and they remained in that condition but a few days. How 

 long I do not know, but when I went to carry them into the 

 cellar I found the bees were all spotting their combs. * I 

 straightened them up and put them into hives as well as I 

 could, with plenty of leaves, and carried them immediately 

 into the cellar with others, and they were kept at a good and 

 proper temperature all winter, and in the spring they were 

 all dead, every one, while the other bees wintered well. This 

 tends to show that those colonies were injured by being 

 turned wrong side up into the snow but a few days before 

 going into the cellar. 



Mr. Hintz — Did they have fall or spring honey? If they 

 have good fall honey it won't hurt them. 



Mr. Wilcox — If you know that, I will take your word 

 for it. I don't know it. I have always believed fall honey 

 was as good as spring honey to winter bees. As to what 

 they did have, they had the honey they reserved for them- 

 selves, and they got it themselves, whatever that may have 

 been. 



Mr. Wheeler — I am not anxious to talk, but I have 



