47 



between floor and bottom board. Packing material is better. 

 The whole must be roofed over so to keep out all rain and snow. 

 The group should also be protected from heavy winds by a 

 board fence, evergreen boughs, trees or some other convenient 

 way. 



Colonies should be packed in much the same manner in a 

 row all facing south or each individual colony may be packed 

 on its summer stand, which is possibly a little more expensive 

 for material and labor. 



I consider the individual system or packing in rows better 

 for Maine conditions. If bees are moved and placed together 

 as in the group system and later get a day suitable for flight, 

 there is almost sure to be a confusion and loss of bees. Packing 

 should be done early in season and left until the weather is 

 settled and warm in spring and the packing is no further pro- 

 tection against cold days and nights. If the group system, 

 known as the quadruple case is to be adopted, a platform should 

 be built of some lumber or other material which will stand the 

 weather, eight inches or a foot off the ground, and the four 

 colonies located there permanently. When time to pack, they 

 need be moved only a short distance, just snuggled up together 

 with no confusing results, as the entrances are changed only 

 a short distance. The four hives sihould be wrapped wtih paper 

 as one to prevent air currents. When unpacked, the packing 

 material sihould be dried and carefully saved for future use. 



WHBN TO PUT BSes IN THE CELLAR 



There is no definite date as to the right time to put bees in the 

 cellar. The day after they have had the last flight of the 

 season, they should be put in. There are not many days in 

 November in this State in which bees can fly freely, but there 

 are usually a few in which they may have a good flight. When 

 they have had that flight they should be put in unless it is the 

 very first of the month and the prospects are that they may 

 have several days of good weather ahead. The first real cool 

 day following a warm one in which the bees have been flying 

 freely, put them in the cellar. 



