and its Economic Management. 33 



and he will find that there is but poor economy in the " let- 

 'em-alone " policy. 



As the cool weather comes on, the bees which but lately 

 appeared to fill the hive, crowd into a compact mass, occupy- 

 ing not one-tenth of the space. The winter cluster is formed 

 where brood has lately been hatched, towards the central lower 

 part of the combs ; thus the bees are able to enter these cells, 

 head to head on opposite sides, as well as cluster between, 

 forming one unbroken mass, and so keeping up the neces- 

 sary temperature. In this state the bees do not rely upon any 

 outside covering other than simple protection from direct 

 draught. The older the combs are the more protection 

 afforded in Winter ; but one wall of the hive, at least,, that 

 on the. south side, can hardly be too thin, as an occasional 

 , gleam of sunshine penetrates at once, and so enables the bees 

 to shift their position, and re-arrange the stores around the 

 cluster, even though the temperature may be too low for any 

 to fly out. Therefore, wherever the entrance may' be placed, 

 it is absolutely necessary that the frames of comb shall stand 

 end on to the south wall. 



Providing pollen is at hand, breeding commences in all 

 good colonies soon after the "turn of days," but at first the 

 patches of brood are small, and limited to the very^ heart 

 of the cluster, to guard against chill. It is not by any means 

 to be supposed that henceforth young bees are brought forth 

 without intermission ; but it is a fact, nevertheless, that a 

 colony, failing through any cause, to produce this early batch 

 of youngsters', will stand in the background all through the 

 season, as presently the loss of bee-life will be so great that a 

 late hatching of young ones cannot possibly keep pace with 

 the deaths occasioned by almost daily flights. On the other 

 hand, two or three generations of young bees brought to life 

 before general flights occur, give a colony so great an, 

 advantage that no perceptible diminution occurs, and by the 

 time spring opens, the population has been, almost entirely 

 renewed, so that henceforth the progress of that stock is rapid. 



