72 The Townsend Bee Book 
that, since the soft paper fills up any small opening beween the 
hive and the cover, there is no more chance for draft than in a 
hive with a sealed cover. However, in all our yards where the 
wind is likely to be strong the hives will be papered according 
to the plan given before. 
REMOVING BEES FROM THE CELLAR 
In removing colonies from the cellar, no attempt is made to 
set them on the stands they occupied the previous season; for I 
have found that it makes no difference as to the mixing of the bees 
whether the hives occupy the same stands year after year or not. 
Unless precautions are taken, the bees will drift to one side 
of the yard when the hives are taken from the cellar, all of them 
trying, apparently, to enter a very few hives. This means that, 
in some cases, a hive will be deserted ; and even the queen, thinking 
she is being left alone, will fly out and join the busy throng, trying 
to get into the few hives at one side of the yard. I have had this 
experience two or three times; and after the mixing is started I 
have found that it pays to contract the entrances of the strong 
colonies so that only a few bees can emerge at a time. When this 
is done the flying forces of all the colonies are more nearly equal- 
ized. After this the colonies should be shifted about to some ex- 
tent; that is, if a certain hive already has its share of bees, and if 
more bees keep coming to it so that the prospects are that it will 
become overcrowded, it should be carried to some part of the yard 
where the hives are not getting their share. One of the hives light 
in bees is set in the place occupied by the strong colony. This 
should be kept up until all the colonies are as near alike in regard 
to strength as it is possible to get them. After finishing such work, 
however, it is generally found that the plan is not very satisfac- 
tory ; hence it is well to prevent such drifting on the part of the 
bees in the future. 
HOW TO PREVENT DRIFTING 
In order to prevent this state of affairs it is necessary, first, 
to understand what causes the trouble. Improper methods in 
wintering account for some of it; for, if the bees are ‘‘just dying”’ 
for a fly, they are more likely to boil out of the hives without care- 
fully marking their locations. This, of course, means a general 
mix-up. 
Removing the colonies from the cellar on a very warm day 
also tends to cause drifting. The disturbance and the warm air 
together cause the bees to leave the hives in such numbers that they 
are almost demoralized. A large entrance is detrimental in this 
