PUTTING ON AND TAKING OFF BOXES. 173 



is full of honey ; it may be full of bees, and not of 

 honey. And yet the only rule that I can give to be gen- 

 erally applied, is, when the bees begin to be crowded 

 'out, but a day or two before would be just the right 

 time, that is, when they are obtaining honey — (for it 

 should be remembered that they do not always get 

 honey when beginning to cluster out). This guide 

 ^vill do in place of a better one, which close observa- 

 tion and experience only can give. By observing a 

 glass hive attentively, in those cells that touch the 

 glass on the edge of the combs, whenever honey is 

 being deposited here abundantly, it is quite evident 

 -that the flowers are yielding^ it just then, and other 

 stocks are obtaining it also. Now is the time, if any 

 cluster out, to put on the boxes. When boxes are 

 made as I have recommended, that is, the size con- 

 taining 360 solid inches, it is advisable to put on only 

 one at first ; when this is full either of bees or honey, 

 and yet bees are crowded outside, the other can be 

 added. This is before swarming ; too nrnch room 

 might retard the swarming a few days, but if 

 crowded outside, it indicates want of room, and the 

 boxes can make but little difference. It is better to 

 have one box well filled than two half full, whi<;h 

 might be the case if the bees were not numerous. The 

 object of putting on boxes before swarming, is to 

 employ a portion of the bees, that otherwise would 

 remain idly clustering outside two or three weeks, as 

 they often do, while preparing the young queens for 

 swarming. But when all the bees' can be profitably 



