The growing of fruit this year has been a disappointment to many horticulturists.  Indeed, some got quite a showing of fruit in favored localities, but the majority got not much of a crop to be proud of.  Well, we cannot regulate the weather conditions, but we are pleased with the thought that such abnormal conditions are not of frequent occurrence in Minnesota.  Yet there is one redeeming feature of the season and that is, the wonderful growth of plants and trees which gives promise that with the usual normal conditions our expectations for a better fruit crop will be realized.

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Storing cabbage in the field.—­In choosing a site for a storage pit, select a ridge, well drained and as gravelly a soil as possible.  The pit should be 6 to 10 inches deep, the length and width depending upon the amount to be stored.  It is well to have it wide enough to accommodate 3 to 5 heads on the bottom row.

In harvesting the heads, pull up by the roots.  Break off only the dead or diseased leaves, and fold the remaining leaves over the head as much as possible to protect them.  Overripe or cracked heads should not be stored.  The heads are placed in the pit with their heads down and roots up.  The second layer is also placed heads down between the roots of the first layer.  It is well not to have more than two layers, on account of the weight having a tendency to crush the lower layer.

When the cabbages are put in place they are covered with a layer of earth.  When cold weather comes, straw or manure can be added.

Cabbages can often be kept better in pits than in common cellars.—­E.  F. McKune, Colorado Agricultural College, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Wintering of Bees.

Francis Jager, apiarist, university farm, st. Paul.

The winter losses of bees in Minnesota are great every year.  Bee keepers can reduce these losses by preparing bees for their winter-quarters.

The chief known cause for winter losses are:  Queenlessness, smallness of number of bees in colonies, insufficient food, improper food, dampness, bad air, the breaking of the clusters, and low temperature.

More colonies die from lack of food and from cold than from all other causes.  In fact, most of the other causes can be traced to lack of food and cold.

Queenless colonies will certainly die in a few months.

If the number of bees in a colony is small the clusters cannot generate enough heat or keep it generated and the bees will perish.  To avoid this, small colonies should be united in the fall into one big colony.

Bees must have food in the winter in order to generate heat.  About forty pounds of honey to the colony should be provided when the bees are put into winter-quarters.  Should the colony be short of honey of its own, finished frames may be supplied early in the fall or sugar syrup may be fed.  Bee keepers should keep about one well filled extracting frame out of every seven for feeding purposes.