102 PHACTICAL BEE-KEEPINn. 



A hooked wire should now and then be passed into the mouth of 

 each hive, in order to remove any dead bees likely to choke it, or stocks 

 may be lost from stifling-. When the weather is so mild as to allow of a 

 winter's dance, a walk should be taken through the apiary, and all stocks 

 around whose door bees are not flying should be probed to ascertain 

 whether the exit is free. 



Snow should be removed from alighting boards, for although it is not 

 to be feared while light and fleecy, it is likely to get partly thawed 

 and refrozen, when it would work mischief. The glare of the sun upon 

 it, too, will frequently draw bees forth by the thousand, the majority of 

 which will get too far chilled to regain home ; by no means confine bees at 

 this time with perforated zinc, or many will die in their efforts to get out, 

 and perhaps choke the opening totally. Stop the glare, however, by 

 placing a board, or fixing a wooden slip in front of the porch, which will 

 also tend to save the inhabitants from driving winds. We believe bees 

 are the better for shading the whole winter through, another reason for 

 w^hich is given in the " Calendar." 



The fashion of cellaring bees, so common in America, is not quite 

 suitable to our variable climate, because whenever the thermometer rises 

 to near 50°, the prisoners became excited, and endeavour to leave their 

 hives. The cellars are kept as nearly as possible at 40° , at which 

 external temperature the cluster remains quietly nestling. 



In summer our pets having marked their location, will return to it, 

 and not to their hive, if the latter be moved a few yards ; and we are 

 often obliged to allow notions of order and symmetry to continue to be 

 violated. About February we should watch the cold spells, since they 

 provide us with the best opportunities for rearrangement, but at these 

 times do not permit our orderly minds to puzzle the bees by giving long 

 and straight lines of similar hives, from which the selection of their own 

 particular domicile must be most perplexing. If we do so, the troubles 

 of queenlessness and robbing are sure to attend us. 



If by any mischance a stock should be found apparently starved, try at 

 once a very warm room and food, when often the supposed dead will 

 recover. 



Our task draws to an end. May we, before the ink dries in the pen, 

 express the hope that our " Practical Beekeeping " will in some measure 

 increase the home charms of the cottager, and help him to augment his 

 income by wiser methods than those commonly obtaining ; ajid that his 

 more well-to-do brother beekeeper may find through it increased enjoy- 

 ment and success in the prosecution of a hobby which has furnished to ua 

 so much delightful recreation, both for body and mind. 



