394 Wintering Bees in the Cellar. 



and may rest on each other, breaking joints, the weakest 

 colonies at the top. When all are in, and quiet, the entrances 

 are opened wide. I would, if it were not for the expense, 

 and I had loose bottom boards so that I could, place a rim 

 under each hive so as to raise it two or three inches above 

 the bottom board. Except for the open entrance, I give 

 no special ventilation to each hive. Now we shut our two 

 or three doors, and if our cellar is right we have no more 

 care for the bees till the succeeding April. Should the 

 bees became uneasy and soil their hives about the entrance 

 — they will not if the food is all right and the temperature 

 keeps at the right point, from 38° to 50° F. — then it may 

 be well to set the bees out for a flight in February or March, 

 in case a warm day affords opportunity. In case there is 

 snow, a little straw may be scattered over it. The day 

 must be quite warm. It is far wiser to have our cellar 

 right so we shall not need to do this. 



If the bees get short of stores in winter — this would 

 show great neglect on the part of the bee-keeper — they 

 should be fed "Good candy," cakes of which may be laid 

 on the frames and covered with cloth. Frames of honey 

 or syrup, filled as already described, may be given bees in 

 mid-winter. The idea that bees cannot be examined in 

 winter is incorrect. Frames may be taken out or added, 

 though it were doubtless better to leave the bees undis- 

 turbed. The cellar should be dark and quiet. If every- 

 thing is just right, light does no harm; but if it gets pretty 

 cold or too warm then the bees become uneasy and fly out. 

 never to return. Some bees always leave the hive in win- 

 ter. These are veterans and are ready to die. Thus with 

 100 colonies of bees in a cellar, we need not be anxious 

 even if a good many quarts come out to die. 



In spring, when the flowers have started, so that the 

 bees can gather honey and pollen, they may be set out. 

 This better be too late than too early. Here in Central 

 Michigan, the 15th of April is usually early enough. I 

 repeat : Better too late than too early. The colonies are 

 set each on its own stand and each hive well cleaned out. 

 Each colony should have plenty of honey. Scant stores 

 m spring always bring loss if not ruin. We now take away 



