THE COTTAGE AND FAKM BEE KEEPER. 87 



fore the honey season comes ; and if a better food were given them, 

 they might perhaps neglect it. Whatever food be given, it must be 

 given only on mild calm days, when the temperature of the weather 

 is about 50° P. and upwards. To stimulate a hive, (for this food is 

 given with this intent,) during the prevalence of high winds or cold 

 showery weather, is to endanger its existence by inducing an injurious 

 activity among the bees, who venture forth under its influence to al- 

 most certain death. In propitious weather, however, a tablespoonful 

 of food each day may be given with much advantage ; but care must 

 be taken in feeding to avoid creating a current of air through the hive, 

 which would neutralise the beneficial influence of the feeding stimulus 

 by reducing the temperature which the other tended to raise. Co- 

 pious spring feeding, except where a hive is starving, is altogether to 

 be avoided. It tempts many bees to neglect their duty to the young 

 brood ; besides that, in storing it away, they necessarily encroach on 

 the queen's breeding space, and so positively assist in weakening the 

 colony. 



As the month of April speeds away, the strength of all the hives 

 that have well survived the winter and the perils of the early spring 

 increases daily, so that more room will shortly be required. Before this 

 is given, however, let the bottom boards throughout the apiary receive 

 a final cleansing for the season. The in-door colonies on or about the 

 first of May must next be supplied with glasses, duly furnished with 

 guide comb. These, let me repeat here, must be carefully protected 

 from the influence of cold by thick woollen coverings of some sort ; 

 the warmer they are kept in general the better, though when the wea- 

 ther is very sultry they may be left quite uncovered. Bees will some- 

 times commence working in a glass as early as April, often in the mid- 

 dle of May. At this time it should be kept always covered, for the 

 population will not yet be so numerous as to be unable to regulate 

 the temperature for themselves. Be it also remembered, that comb- 

 making is by all means to be encouraged, so that when honey abounds 

 there may be ready-constructed room in which to store it. Never 

 mind if the bees, on the return of ungenial weather, carry all the 

 honey as yet stored down into the hive, when seasonable weather re- 

 appears they will soon fill the cells up again. 



As the year' advances and the population increases, much attention 

 must be paid to the seasonable supply of additional hive room, some 



