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.