106 APPENDIX. 



and continuous feeding" must now be resorted ito, to bring the supply 

 without up to the demand within : (see page 59.) 



Artificial Pollen should be continued : (see page 61.) 



Entrances. — Eegulate the entrances according to the strength of the 

 !olony. 



Bottom Board. — Clean the bottom of all collected debris, the bees will 

 henceforward, if in health, act as their own scayengers. 



SnouK — Should snow fall, the shading of the hives la more than ever 

 important. If this be neglected the bees will fly during sunshine to die 

 in large numbers. The winter through, hives, during the middle part of 

 the day, should be shaded, especially about the entrances ; if this be done 

 the bees will seldom leave when the air is cold enough to chill them. It 

 is not safe for them to fly if the thermometer stand much below 50° in 

 the shade : (see page 102.^ 



Furchasing^Stocks. — This is the time for purchasing stocks : (see page 

 73.) Although, as the risk of winter is nearly past, they command higher 

 prices than in the autumn 



Borage may now be sown along the hedge rows (see page 58;, ana a 

 patch of waste ground may be devoted to the sunflower if it is intended 

 to work up condemned bees into stocks. The abundance of pollen thus 

 obtained late in the year is then very helpful. 



Was;ps. — Queen wasps during March and April may often be seen 

 hovering about the hives. As a queen is capable of establishing a nest 

 with its army of tormentors, let them be diligently hunted and destroyed. 

 Bring them down by a discharge from a garden syringe and crush them. 



Hives and Apparatus should be got ready at once. It is better that 

 the hive wait for the swarm than the swarm for the hive. 



APEIL. 



The beekeeper's season is now open. His favourites are increasing in 

 numbers and activity. The orchard trees at the close of last month and 

 early part of this are in fuU spring attire, and in favourable weather our 

 stocks are gaining weight, yet, at this time, perhaps, more stocks die of 

 starvation than any other. The winter has disposed of the honey of the 

 previous year, and brood raising now requires a, good income to make 

 both ends meet, therefore 



Feeding is essential when the weather is unfavourable : (see page 61.) 

 If this be forgotten the beekeeper will probably meet with 



Signs of Starvation in the form of the bodies of immature bees on the 

 alighting board. Food failing, ovipositing has been stopped, the eggs 

 and younger larvse eaten, and the chrysalides (especially of drones) torn 

 from the cells and thrown out of the hive. Feeding immediately will save 

 the stock, but not until it has been thrown back weeks. 



Queenlessness may be suspected, if, while colonies generally are carrying 



