THE BKK. 291 



youncT bees cast gradually fill up tlie cells until they are too small for 

 brecdinsT; in; in consequence the hives get weaker and weaker; swarm- 

 ing cannot take place, and at last the bees die. 



"To prevent this fatal end, you may in spring, before breeding-time 

 commences, after fumigating the bees a little, turn up the hive and cut 

 out half the comb ; put the bees in again, and during the summer 

 they will fill up the vacancy, and have room for breeding. Next spring 

 take out the remainder of the old comb in the same way. One stock 

 treated in this manner is said to have been kept for the long period of 

 sixty years. Sometimes, when a stock has not swarmed, it is desirable 

 to remove the bees altogether from the old hive into a new one. This 

 must only be done during the first week in July; if attempted earlier, 

 the new brood not being all hatched, many bee-grubs would be de- 

 stroyed, and you would have a weak stock. On the other hand, if 

 transferred later, there would not be time for them to make their comb 

 and lay up winter store. Fumigate or intoxicate the bees at night, and 

 put them while stupefied into a new hive, taking care that the queen is 

 among them ; place the hive on the stand in the same position the old 

 one occupied, and on the morrow they will commence their labor as a 

 new swarm. If the weather be fine, they will do well ; but if they are 

 found to be weak in autumn, take them up and unite them with another 

 stock. 



September is the proper time for carefully inspecting your stocks, to 

 ascertain which will stand the winter, for fec^ling those which have not 

 sufficient food, and for uniting weak stocks to strong ones, as previously 

 recommended. 



By gently striking the hives, you may judge whether they contain 

 many or few bees, from the greater or lesser noise they make in the 

 buzzing which immediately follows. Do not leave any to remain for the 

 winter but such as weigh about twenty pounds.* But recollect that a 

 hive with two thousand bees will be more likely to survive than one 

 with only one thousand, even if the latter have much more honey. On 

 this account it is important to ascertain the number of bees, and to make 

 your standing stocks as strong as possible, to maintain sufficient heat in 

 the liives. 



FALL FEEDING. — Whatever food is required must be given now, as bees 

 should not on any account be fed in winter. Those who have not the 

 convenience of the feeding-pans for the top of the hive, should provide 

 little hollow troughs made of elder, or a split bamboo stopped at the 

 ends. These must be filled with honey or syrup, and then pushed into 

 the mouth of the hive at sunset, the entrance being carefully closed, to 

 prevent other bees from entering. Feeding should not take place in the 

 daytime, as the hive will then be subject to the depredations of wasps 

 and robber-bees which are attracted by the scent, and not unfrequently 

 devour the whole of the honey. In the morning, a little before sunrise, 

 remove the troughs. Continue this operation nightly until you are sure 



* Age will cause hives to weigh heavier than their legitimate contents would call 

 for; this is occasioned by an accumulation of bee-hread and the cast sloughs which 

 had formerly served as envelopes to the 3'oung. In the case of old hives, you must, 

 therefore, allow from two to five pounds, according to age, for these matters. 



