Louisville, Ky., March 5, 1881.
=Chaff-Packing of Bees Triumphant.=—The winter has been a severe one
everywhere. Since the 1st of Nov. until the first days of this month
my bees had not had a flight. I live in a very high altitude, about
the highest good land in the State. The winter begins early and lasts
long. We have an abundance of snow now and it is blustering wildly
to-day. I despaired of seeing my bees come out alive; they were covered
solidly with snow for 3 months, only the tops of the hives being
visible. At last the weather softened and I dug away the snow. The
next day or 2 the sun came out warmly and my bees began to fly, and
greatly to my happy disappointment they are all alive—all that I had
out on the summer stands. One only was dull, which I examined and found
enfeebled with dysentery, arising from the feed I gave them in the
fall. All others were strong. Just 122 days had intervened between the
flights. The sick colony has since died, but the others are in the best
condition. This success is a tribute to the chaff-packed hive. Is there
another record of 122 days’ confinement and yet come out strong?