Chapter L: E. Welch

Linden, Mich., March 8, 1881.

=A Slim Living.=—I prepared 21 colonies on Dec. 1st, for
wintering on summer stands. Hives were sitting on 4 inch
blocks, and the colonies were all strong. I placed woolen
blankets over the tops of the frames, then the honey-boards
and covers, and left them for the winter—my usual way. Always
heretofore they have come out bright. Feb. 22nd I felt uneasy
about them, and being a bright day, I opened the hives to
find 11 dead out or 21 colonies, and the remaining 10 weak.
The hives were filled with frost and ice, and blankets wet
with water; 5 out of the 11 dead had Italian queens, which
I purchased from Mr. A. H. Newman last summer. I am not
discouraged. If I had to make a living from bees it would be
slim. I can learn more in 1 week about taking care of bees
from the BEE JOURNAL, than I could in 1 year without it.

EDMUND DELAIR.

Oketo, Kan., March 1, 1881.

=Honey Sections.=—In the BEE JOURNAL of March 2d Mr. Heddon
says he prefers a section that he can press to any angle and
have it solid, but I fail to see that any other angle than
square is of any advantage. Again, Mr. H. asks, “Is it not
better to wait and see which goes into general use?” Perhaps
the following figures may show which has gone into general
use, at least with our customers. I make any kind that are
wanted, and therefore the figures will show which are the
most desirable. In 1879, the first year that the one piece
sections were put upon the market, and at a higher price than
other kinds, my sales were:

104,578 one piece sections. 124,058 dovetailed. 38,270 nailed.

In 1880, the following are the figures:

233,898 one-piece sections. 47,980 dovetailed. 50,950 nailed.

According to Mr. Heddon's test, therefore, the one-piece
sections are the most desirable, because they have gone into
general use.

G. B. LEWIS.

Watertown, Wis., March 8, 1881.

=Bees in Good Condition.=—The Weekly BEE JOURNAL is a welcome
visitor and is the first paper I read when I return home
on Friday evening. It is a friend that introduces me to my
fellow bee-keepers, and their manner of manipulating our
pets. My bees are in good spirits, yet they had but 2 flights
this winter. I have them packed in a shed in new Langstroth
hives, manipulating sides. They are 6 inches apart and packed
all around with straw, excepting the fronts. They face the
south, with a division board on each side of the frames,
leaving a dead air space.

JOHN W. STURWOLD.

Haymond, Ind., Feb. 7, 1881.

=Wintered Without Loss.=—I have kept bees for 7 years and my
greatest trouble has been wintering them, but I think I have
that perfect now. I winter on summer stands packed in chaff.
Last fall I had 72 colonies, and on Feb. 9 all were right. I
think I shall have to feed them. Last fall some had 15 lbs.
and others 25 lbs of honey; that is if bees and comb weighed
10 lbs. The combs were all new, and it may be that 10 lbs.
was allowing too much.

GEORGE WICKWIRE.

Weston Mills, N. Y., March 4, 1881.

=Mourning for the Bees.=—It is lamentable to hear the reports
throughout this country. Some have lost all; others all but 1
or 2. I think about four-fifths of the bees are dead through
this country; as nearly all left their bees unprotected,
they had to suffer losses. But I think the present winter
will in part decide the best methods of wintering. I started
last spring with 4 colonies, increased to 6, but obtained no
surplus. In Sept. I bought 2 Italian colonies which are doing
well. I packed 2 in chaff and 6 I put into the cellar, but 2
of these died, 1 starved, and the other had the dysentery.
Those packed in chaff had a good flight on Feb. 26. Those in
the cellar had no flight since Nov. 1. The weather is now
breaking up, the snow has nearly all gone, and the roads are
muddy. I am highly pleased with the Weekly BEE JOURNAL. I
could not be persuaded to do without it.

H. CRIPE.

North Manchester, Ind., Mar., 8, 1881.

=Wintering.=—My experience of over 25 years in trying all
modes of wintering is as follows: On summer stands, and in
the cellar for 10 years; I then built a house to winter in,
used that 2 years and then abandoned it. The last 3 years I
have been using the chaff hive and winter on summer stands,
with the least loss of any way I have tried. My bees had
a splendid fly on the 11th, it being the first chance for
them since the 8th of Nov. I think they will go through all
right now unless we have a very late spring. I prepared 148
colonies for winter, (123 in chaff hives and 25 in the common
box hive.) I have lost but one in chaff hive yet, and 10 in
the box hive already, and doubt if one-half of what are left
will see the middle of April. I wish to congratulate our
editor on the success of the BEE JOURNAL. I have received
it regular since assuming its new form, and think it just
splendid, and if I had but 1 colony of bees I would try to
take the Weekly BEE JOURNAL to aid me to make a success of
that 1. I hope the editor may be liberally supported by the
bee-keepers of America, for I believe with his experience and
that of his able contributors, he can give us a paper that we
cannot afford to do without.

J. M. FRANCE.

Auburn, Pa. Feb. 24, 1881.

=Vexatious to Sell Honey.=—I only realized $300 last year
from my bees. I put 50 colonies in winter quarters in the
fall of 1879; lost none, but doubled up on account of
queenlessness, weakness, etc., to 45, all in first class
order. I bought 50 colonies in old-fashioned Langstroth
hives; they were wintered in a good cellar, and were, with a
few exceptions, weak in bees, combs in bad order, short of
stores, and badly managed the preceding season. I united them
down to 27 before I moved them. At the beginning of honey
harvest (basswood bloom) I doubled up to 15, so that when
the honey season opened I had 60 first class colonies, and
obtained 3,500 lbs. of summer honey. I extracted only once. I
increased by natural swarming to 88, and at the close of the
season doubled up to 74. I have lost 1 this winter through
my own fault. I winter out-doors, but would winter indoors
if I had a proper place. I sell nearly all my honey to the
consumers, but confess this is a vexatious way of disposing
of it; it is the most annoying part of the business; in
fact, I feel disgusted when I think of it. People cry fraud,
fraud, when there is no fraud; but when a spurious article is
offered, they swallow it as quietly as desired.

GEORGE W. HORNER.

Dubuque, Iowa, Feb. 15, 1881.

=Prospects Better.=—This has been a fine day; my bees had a
cleansing flight to-day. They are all alive and strong, and
seem to be in splendid condition, with plenty of honey and
perfectly dry. I think all the danger is over with them now.
I am in favor of double-walled hives, but not packed with
chaff, for I have noticed that where there is chaff there is
frost on the inside wall. I prefer a dead air space, for then
it is always dry. What is the use of changing black bees for
Italians, if Mr. Loucks, of California, can get so much honey
from the black bees, they surely must be the “boss” bees? I
think we had better take our bees to California, where milk
and honey flows.

DAVID HOHENSHELL.

Collins, Ill., March 6, 1881.

=All Alive.=—My bees are all alive and in fine condition.
They were wintered out of doors, in shed, packed around with
straw, but open to the east.

J. R. MEAD.

Wichita, Kas., March 7, 1881.

=Winter yet in Kentucky.=—Bees are wintering very badly here,
and 2 of my neighbors have lost all they had. The ground is
covered with snow, and looks as much like winter as it did a
month ago.

A. E. FOSTER.

Covington, Ky., March 5, 1881.

=No Surplus nor Increase.=—This has been a hard winter on the
bees. I think all that were not protected and those partially
protected will die. There was no surplus nor increase here
worth mentioning, last summer.

JAMES NIPE.

Spring Prairie, Wis., Feb. 26, 1881.

=Great Loss of Bees.=—The bees in McDonough county that were
wintered on the summer stands are nearly all dead. Those in
double-walled hives, and those packed in straw, dying the
same as those in single-walled hives. My loss is about 95 out
of 100.

S. H. BLACK.

Sciota, Ill., March 5, 1881.

=Bees in Prime Condition.=—I have 110 colonies in the cellar
in prime condition. Nearly all bees out-doors are dead.