Pre-emption, Ill., March 24, 1881.
Bees All Right.—I have lost 2 colonies out of 16, and the remaining 14 are strong. I had them packed in buckwheat chaff, which is considered the best packing we can get. I have wintered for 4 years with it, and had success. In the winter of 1877 and 1878 I had 45 colonies packed in kiln-dried shavings and wheat chaff: but 4 were packed in buckwheat chaff and those 4 lived; the rest died. There was a very heavy loss around here among those that were left unpacked. I am well pleased with the Weekly Bee Journal.
W. S. Bair.
Rollersville, O., March 24, 1881.
Lost 6 out of 100 Colonies.—The snow is all gone now and our bees have had several flights. On the 16th they gathered some pollen; but this has been the most disastrous winter among bees in Maryland for many years; 75 per cent of all the bees in north Md. are dead. We had a very poor honey season last year, except 5 weeks during the first crop of red clover, which ended about the 1st of July; and after that but little honey was gathered. The bulk of the loss was from neglect or starvation. As I had a fair demand for queens and I was breeding for improvement I kept up the queen breeding until the last of Oct., and my bees were in poor condition for an ordinary winter; much more for such a one as we have just passed through. I have lost 6 colonies at home, that starved; I have 96 left in fair condition. I wintered in a cellar expressly arranged for the purpose; it is perfectly dark, and the temperature in this place was kept all through the winter at 46° and 47°. All those that wintered in cellars fared the best. I am much pleased with the Weekly. I should lose a friend were I to be deprived of it. I wish it every success.
S. Valentine.
Double Pipe Creek, Md., March 22.