Kane, Ill., March 4, 1881.
=Bees All Dead.=—I now send you my report for the winter of 1880–81,
which will long be remembered by the bee-keepers in this locality. I
commenced the winter with 9 colonies of bees, all carefully packed in
chaff on the summer stands with plenty of nice sealed honey. They were
packed on the 13th day of last Nov., and from that until the present
time (121 days) there has not been a single day that the bees could
safely fly, and the consequence is my bees are all dead, from the
effects of their long confinement. They left plenty of honey, but the
combs are badly soiled. I am not discouraged, however, and shall try
again. A gentleman living not far from here had only 8 colonies left
out of 39, 2 weeks ago, and when spring condescends to smile on us
again we think it will not need a returning board to count the bees
in this county. I am well pleased with the new Weekly; it is always a
welcome visitor.