344 WINTERING BEES. 



family from strangers, becomes so mucli lalike, that 

 ttey mix together without contention. 



FAMILIES MAY BE EQUALIZED. 



By talcing advantage of this immediately, or before 

 the scent has again changed, and each hive has some- 

 thing peculiar to itself^ you can change the stands of 

 very weak and very strong families. 



To prevent, as far as possible, some of these bad 

 effects, I prefer waiting for a fair day to begin, and 

 then not until the day has become sufficiently warm 

 to make.it safe from chill. 



SNOW NEED NOT ALWAYS PREVENT CARRYING OUT BEES. 



I am not particular about the snow being gone — if it 

 has only lain long enough to have melted a part of it, 

 it is " ferra firma" to a bee, and answers equally well 

 as the bare earth. When the day is right, about ten 

 o'clock I put out twelve or fifteen, taking care that 

 each hive occupies its old stand, at the same time en- 

 deavoring to take such as will be as far apart as possi- 

 ble ; (to make this convenient, they should be carried 

 in in the manner that you wish them to come out.) 

 When the rush from these hives is over, and the ma- 

 jority of the bees has gone back, I set out as many 

 more about twelve o'clock, and when the day con- 

 tinues fair, another lot about two. In the morning, 

 while cool, I move from the back to the first apart- 

 ment, about as many as I wish to set out in a day, 

 except a few at the last. 



To do this in the middle of the day, while warm, 



