SELECTING' COLONIES FOB WINTEU. 277 



ber, there is still another advantage ; families of the same 

 apiary can be united, and -will mostly forget the old loca- 

 tion by spring, hence no difficulty will arise when they 

 are returned to their old stand. 



In some sections, honey is more frequently wanting than 

 bees or comb ; in such cases it is an advantage to feed, 

 until enough is stored for winter. This can be determined 

 by what the hive actually weighs when done. It is insuf- 

 ficient to simply weigh the honey that is fed. 



WHEN IT IS BEST TO FEED. 



It should be done in October, that the honey may be 

 sealed up before cold weather. If done before, too many 

 of the combs will be occupied with brood. Feed as fast 

 as possible, that they may not start too much brood. 



But if they lack comb as well as honey, and you still 

 wish to try feeding, it should be done, if possible, in warm 

 weather, as they cannot make combs advantageously in 

 the cold. 



Directions for feeding will be found in Chap. vii. 



If your hives are not full, and are to be wintered in the 

 house, bottom up, they may be fed at any time during the 

 winter by merely laying pieces of comb containing honey, 

 on those in the hive. The bees readily remove the con- 

 tents into their own combs. When empty, replace them, 

 until they have a fuU supply. They will join such pieces 

 of comb to their own, but there will be no harm in break- 

 ing them loose. The principal objection to feeding in this 

 way, will be found in the tendency to make them uneasy 

 and disposed to leave the hive, when it is desirable to have 

 them as quiet as possible. A thin cloth will be necessary 

 to confine them to the hive. 



"With the movable combs, a great deal of the foregoing 

 trouble may be avoided. A large proportion of the colo- 

 nies will almost always store more honey than needed for 



