96 THE farmer's guide. 



to make it of the consistence of honey. This must be done 

 over a fire, and taken off as soon as it commences boiling, and 

 the scum taken off. It is of great importance so to place bees 

 that they will have the least possible desire to leave their hives 

 during the winter. If tAvo stocks should be placed side by side, 

 and the one so managed that the bees should remain wiihin 

 constantly, without being confined, while those of the other 

 should be on the wing during every tolerably warm day, the 

 mortality of the bees remaining within would not be half so 

 great as that of the others ; for the reason, that many bees come 

 to an untimely death in the winter season, by being suddenly 

 chilled while abroad, and never regain the hive. Hives thus 

 depopulated can not possibly thrive so well in the following 

 spring, a those which are kept from going abroad; hence it 

 follows, that to be successful we must ascertain in season 

 whether a sufficient amount of food is furnished them to carry 

 them through the winter season. 



SPRING MANAGEMENT. 



The queen commences her spring laying on the approach of 

 mild weather, in March or April. Even in February, should 

 there be two or three weeks of warm weather, she may com- 

 mence her spring-laying. The indications of this are, the ac- 

 tivity of the bees in going abroad, and their return loaded with 

 pellets of pollen upon their thighs. The latter is a sure indi- 

 cation. Should this be the case as early as the month of Feb- 

 ruary, in the latitude of New York, the bees will be placed in 

 a very critical situation ; for cold weather must, as a matter of 

 course, injervene before the approach of mild settled weather. 

 Under such circumstances, should the weather continue mild, 

 the bees will consume more honey in a week than during a 

 month of steady cold weather ; and if their supply be not abun- 

 dant, feeding in the general way as before described, should be 

 resorted to. In any case when the spring opens prematurely, 

 the greatest care is necessary, for the reason that if the 

 bees are on short allowance, their destruction is inevitable, un- 

 less they are fed. Should the bees be placed in any situation 

 cooler than that which is intended for them in the summer, 

 such as on the north side of some building (which is a good 

 plan in a mild winter), they should be kept in that position till 

 permanent mild Aveather ; but care should be taken not to 

 leave them too long, as their spring increase might be greatly 

 retarded thereby. The great object of every one should, at 

 this season, be "to get early swarms. One swarm in May is 

 worth two in June. Bees usually swarm from the lOlh of 

 May to the 10th of June. 



