THOUSAND ANSWERS 
87 
A. Don’t transfer in winter. Those box-hives most likely have 
no bottoms; if they have bottoms pry them off. Turn the hives 
upside down, put candy between or on top of the combs, and leave 
them upside down as long as in the cellar. When I had box-hives 
I wintered them upside down in the cellar. 
Feeding in Cellar. — Q. What time can bees be fed that are 
wintered in the cellar? 
A. Any time rather than have them die; but the feeding 
should all be done before putting in cellar. 
Q. Is there any possible way of feeding bees in a cellar? I 
think some of my colonies are too short of stores for winter. 
My cellar is rather warm this year on account of a new fur- 
nace. I have a separate apartment for the bees with plenty of 
fresh air, but it is still too warm at this date; the temperature 
keeps up to SS and 65 degrees. The bees are very quiet yet. 
1 thought of giving each colony syrup separately in a sort of 
little tray so arranged that the bees could not drown. Would the 
bees come to get this syrup, or could it be given in some other 
way? How and when could it be done so that half of the bees 
would not rush out of the hives? My hives are put in two rows, 
one on top of the other, and all of the covers are off. 
A. With a big lot of fresh air for the bees you will likely 
find that they will winter well at 55 or 60 degrees, although they 
will consume more stores than at a lower temperature. Still, as 
you say, the increasing cold will bring down the temperature. 
Better not let it get below 45 degrees. 
If I understand correctly, your hives are raised in front by 
1-inch blocks, and that makes a space of at least an inch and a 
half. That allows you to put a shallow dish of feed under the 
frames, and if your colonies are reasonably strong they ought 
readily to come down to the feed at 55 or 60 degrees. If it is 
much colder than that and the colonies are rather weak, they will 
not be likely to come to feed. Instead of the proposed wire screen 
over the syrup you may do better to cover the syrup with cork 
chips. You will get these from your grocer. He gets them as 
packing for grapes in cold weather, and generally throws them 
away. 
If feeding below does not prove a success, you can feed above. 
Edwin Bevins reports excellent success with lump sugar. Wet the 
lumps by sprinkling water upon them, but do not make them wet 
enough to dissolve the sugar. Then lay the lumps directly on the 
top-bars over the cluster of bees. 
Feeding for Stimulation.— Q. I want information in regard to 
