574 GARDEN MANAGEMENT, 



with great earnestness in cleaning their house and making such a noise, or 

 removing the little fragments of wax that have fallen on the board, that any 

 one who did not know that it had been emptied, would take it for one of the 

 strongest hives. Before night, when all is quiet, I throw in a few whiffs of 

 smoke at the door of the hive which I mean my deprived swarm to occupy, 

 which should be that next to their own ; then turning it up, and resting it 

 on the ground, I sprinkle it all over with honey, especially between the combs 

 where I perceive the greatest number of bees. Five or six tablespoonfuls 

 generally suffice : at other times three or four times as much are required. 



1814. " If too little were given, the new comers might not be well received, 

 and by giving too much we run the risk of drowning them. Cease sprinkling, 

 then, when the bees begin to climb up above the combs, and shelter them- 

 selves on the sides of the hive. This done, replace the hive on its board, 

 raising it up in front with two little bits of stick, so as to leave a division of au 

 inch between it and the board, to give free access to the bees ; I also spread a 

 tablecloth upon the ground before it, with one end raised and fixed upon the 

 board by means of the two pieces of stick placed for the temporary support of 

 the hive ; then taking the deprived hive, with one shake I throw the bees out 

 of it upon the tablecloth, which they instantlybegin to ascend, while, by the help 

 of a long wooden spoon, I guide them to the door of the hive placed for their 

 reception. A few spoonfuls of the bees thus raised and laid down at the 

 door of the hive set the example ; they enter at once, and the others quickly 

 follow them, flapping their wings, and sipping with delight the drops of honey 

 that come in their way, licking and cleaning those also that have received the 

 sprinkling. Next morning I replace the hive, so that it may stand just half- 

 way between its own place and that occupied by the deprived hive. I have 

 frequently united three swarms in this manner, taking care to empty in the 

 morning those on each side, and making the bees enter the middle one in the 

 evening, after it has been sprinkled with honey." This operation, so essential 

 to the wintering of the bees, is the great operation of the month. 



1S15. Equinoctial gales are approaching, and the hives should be rendered 

 secure from their effects ; and pedestals and shelves carefully looked to, and 

 the house put in order as in preparation against the winter. 



jSi6. Except in heather counties, the honey season is over in September, 

 and the bees will scarcely get enough to keep themselves. All the hives in 

 the apiary should be weighed, the light ones should be joined on the heavy 

 ones next to them, and those taken up should be safely stowed away, or the 

 bees would scent them out and deprive them of their contents. As the bees 

 become less active the entrances should be gradually contracted. 



