On the Management of Bees. 339 



to defend themselves from the wasps, but to shut them up during 

 the autumn and winter ; during the autumn to keep out the ver- 

 min, and in winter to keep them warm *, yet give them air. This 

 I put on the hives early in August, as I by these means can give 

 them more or less room to work, at the same time that I there- 

 by exclude the entrance of every insect whatever ; and to this 

 early closing up the doors, but with a power at the same time of 

 giving them full liberty to go out in any number, by lifting the 

 slide, I attribute much of my success in the preservation of my 

 stock hives, as their stores are left untouched, and they are kept 

 dry, and all offensive insects, such as snails, moths, &c. are thus 

 excluded. 



There are four periods or seasons at which bees are to be par- 

 ticularly attended to. The first I consider to commence from 

 the earliest bloom of the willow, and blossom of the gooseberry. 

 It has been recommended at this time to lift the hive, and sweep 

 the bpard, as the floor of the stool will be found covered with the 

 dross of wax, which was what closed up the combs at the begin- 

 ning of winter, and when the cell was tapped for use, the wax 

 would fall to the ground. I have never adopted that practice, 

 for this reason, that to do so, the hives which had been plas- 

 tered close to the boards during the winter, must necessarily be 

 lifted from them, and the cold thereby introduced, which, at that 

 season, I think would do more injury to the bees, than any bene- 

 fit which they would derive from taking away the loose wax from 

 the board. If at this season they appear brisk, and issue from 

 their hive in numbers, let no feeding on any account be allowed. 

 It dulls their early activity and industry, by their finding at home 

 what they would othevvise gain abroad ; and the honey drawn 

 from the flower gives themamore healthful activity than they could 

 have from any feeding : but if a hive is observed when struck, 

 to emit a dull and heavy buzz, and if the bees do not issue in any 

 numbers, it may be of service to feed them, but scantily, and 

 merely to give them strength to go abroad. From this time, 

 until the period of swarming, they require some little attention ; 

 if the season is open, dry, and mild, in fact none ; but if May 

 should be wet and cold after the first swarms are cast, so that 



* The drawing a a represents two small pieces of wood about an inch 

 and half long, about the sixth part of an inch broad, and of the same thick- 

 ness ; there is a groove in eacli, to receive a sliding piece of board b, about 

 an inch and a quarter wide, in which are cut two small doors wide enough 

 to admit one bee at a time only. The pieces of wood a, are fixed on each 

 side of the door cut in the hive itself, and fastened to the hive by two large 

 pins ; the piece of wood b, is then fixed in the two grooves, and is raised or 

 put down at pleasure. 



E e 2 they 



