143 PUTTING ON AND TAKING OFF BOXES. 



away from the hive. After a little time, the bees finding 

 themselves away from home, will lose all animosity. 



As honey becomes scarce, less brood is reared, and a great 

 many cells become empty, also several cells that contained 

 honey have been drained to mature the portion of brood 

 just started at the time of the failure. "We can now under- 

 stand why our best stocks, that are very heavy, and but a few- 

 days before were crowded for room, and storing in boxes, 

 are now eager for honey to store in the hive ; as there is 

 room for several pounds. They will quickly remove to the 

 hive the contents of any box left exposed, or even risk their 

 lives by entering a neighboring hive in search of honey. 



During a yield of honey, take off boxes as fast as 

 they are filled, and put on empty ones. At the end of the 

 season, take all off. Not one stock in a hundred will starve, 

 that has worked in boxes, that is, when the hive is of the 

 proper size, and was full before adding boxes, tmless it has 

 been robbed, or met with some other misfortune. 



T prefer taking off all boxes at the end of the first yield 

 of honey, even when I expect to put them on again for 

 buckwheat honey. The bees at this season collect a great 

 abundance of propolis, which they spread over the inside 

 of the boxes as well as the hive ; in some instances it is 

 spread on the glass so thickly as to prevent the quality of 

 tlie honey from being seen. There is no necessity for 

 boxes on a hive, at any time, when there is no yield of 

 honey to fill them. Sometimes, even in a supply of buck- 

 wheat honey, a stock may contain too few bees to fill 

 boxes, but just enough to smear them with propolis, which 

 should not be allowed, as it makes them look badly when 

 used another year. At this season, (August) some old 

 stocks may be full of combs, and have but fow bees ; but 

 Avhen swarms have the hive full in time, they are very 

 sure to have bees enough to work in boxes. I have known 

 them to do so in two weeks after being hived. Some put 



