138 MONTHLY DUTIES. 



evening. When you commence to feed, remove 

 the packing from the cap, and also take off the 

 ventilator. The space over the comb frames not 

 covered with the feeder, cover with a small honey 

 board. Let the packing remain at the sides until 

 you have put on the side boxes, or until some time 

 in May, as it keeps the brood chamber warm, 

 which is essential in forwarding breeding. Open a 

 small portion of the upper entrance (about one- 

 third) and keep the passage open at the bottom, the 

 same as during the winter. 



APRIL. 



Early in April — the first warm, sunny day — ex- 

 amme your stocks, and see if they have fertile, lay- 

 ing queens. If the queen is all right, there will be 

 eggs and brood in the brood cells. Don't keep the 

 hives open any longer than is necessary, as the cold 

 air might chill the brood. At this time, if some 

 .stocks have a large amount of honey in the combs 

 of the brood section, exchange such with some 

 stock that has but little ; as it is a disadvantage to 

 have too much sealed honey in the brood combs in 

 the spring. It sometimes happens that all the 

 brood combs will be filled with sealed honey nearly 

 down to the bottom, leaving but a very small place 

 on two or three combs near the bottom for breeding 

 purposes. In such cases, take out two or three 

 combs, and exchange with other stocks having 

 empty combs, leaving in each such as have brood 

 and eggs, in every stock. Don't take out any bees. 

 In this manner equalize your stocks, and all will be 



