ALEXANDER’S WRITINGS ON PRACTICAL BEE CULTURE 85 
sumed by the bees during the winter; and by the time they commence 
to use their honey they are out of the cellar, and can frequently fly; so 
if their honey contains pollen, or is otherwise of poor quality, it can do 
them no harm. 
I think the time is near at hand when the successful honey-producer 
will substitute sugar syrup for honey as a winter food wherever bees 
require a cellar for winter protection. In order to compete success- 
fully with many that are now well established in the production of 
honey, it is necessary for us to be ever ready to take advantage of any 
thing that will add to our income, even though it may require the in- 
vesting of some money at first. 
We must certainly sow before we can expect to reap. This applies 
as truly to bee-keeping as to any other line of business. 
January, 1908. 
CELLAR WINTERING. 
IS MOISTURE A DETRIMENT OR A BENEFIT? A CASE WHERE MANY COLONIES DIED 
BECAUSE OF A LACK OF MOISTURE, DISTURBANCE DETRIMENTAL, 
MID-WINTER FLIGHTS NOT ADVISED. 
During the past few years there has been quite a change in cine 
opinion of many bee-keepers on this particular point in wintering their 
bees. There is one thing, however, that we can all agree on; and tnat 
is, a wet cellar, with poor ventilation and a low temperature, is the 
worst place that bees can possibly be put in to winter; and some of us 
have found out, from long and costly experience, that a wet cellar, if 
properly ventilated, and kept at a temperature varying only from 44 
to 48 degrees, is the best place that can possibly be made for pertect 
wintering. 
With these dearly learned facts fresh in our minds, a year ago 
we built a model bee-cellar, 24x40 feet in size, which will give ample 
room for 1000 colonies, and at the same time give us a walk through 
the center from one end to the other. This is very handy in putting 
them in, in the fall, or taking them out in the spring; but its principal 
value is allowing a circulation of fresh air through the center of the cellar. 
We remove the bottom-boards from our hives, and set them directly 
over each other, with four one-inch blocks between the hives. They 
rest on racks 8 inches high from the floor, which is covered with about 
3 inches of chaff or planer-shavings. This makes a nice covering to 
the floor, and enables us to walk among the hives without making any 
noise or jarring them in the least. It also prevents smashing any 
bees on the floor, which makes it much easier to clean up after they 
are taken out in the spring. The under course of hives rests on the 
cleats of a bottom-board turned wrong side up. This gives ten inches 
of space from the under part of the lower hive to the floor, which 
allows a fine chance for fresh air to circulate over the bottom of the 
