254 -WAX. 



stroy the most perfect specimens of workmnnship ! Tliat 

 in a moment he demolishes what it has taken hours, yes, 

 days and weeks of assidious toil and labor to accomplish. 



MBLTIKG OF COMBS. 



When extreme hot weather occurs immediately after 

 the bees have been gathering from a plentiful harvest for 

 two or three weeks, or even during the yield, the wax 

 composing new combs is very liable to be softened, till 

 they break loose from their fastenings and settle to the 

 bottom. The first indications of such an accident, when 

 the hive is half or two-thirds full, are : clusters of bees on 

 the outside, and honey running out at the bottom. 



Sometimes the injury is trifling, only a piece or two 

 slipping down ; at other times the whole contents fall in a 

 confused and broken mass, the weight pressing out the 

 honey, and besmearing the bees, which, being thus soiled, 

 creep out and away from the hive in every direction. 



I once had some stocks ruined, and others injured in 

 this way, by hot weather, about the first of September, 

 immediately after the buckwheat season. The bees, or 

 most of them, being covered with honey, together with 

 what ran out of the hive, at once attracted others to the 

 spot, who carried oflf the entire contents in a few hours. 

 This was an uncommon occurrence ; I have known but 

 one season in twenty-five years, when it occurred after the 

 failure of honey from the flowers. It usually happens 

 during a copious yield, and then other bees are not apt to 

 be troublesome by robbing. 



To prevent such mishaps, ventilate by raising the hives 

 on little blocks at the corners, and effectually protect them, 

 from the sun ; if necessary, wet the outside of the hive 

 with cold water. After the loss of those before mentioned^ 

 I kept the rest of the new hives wet, through the mid- 

 dle of the day, and I have no donbt but that I saved sev- 



