276 MANUAL OP THE APIARY. 



■wood and fall bloom it may pay to feed sparingly. Give 

 plenty of room for queen and workers as fall storing com- 

 mences. 



SEPTEMBER. 



Kemove all surplus boxes and frames as soon as storing 

 ceases, which usually occurs about the middle of this month ; 

 feed sparingly till the first of October. If robbing occurs, 

 contract the entrance of the hive robbed. If it is desired to 

 feed honey or sugar for tvinter, it should be done the last of 

 this month. 



OCTOBER. 



Prepare colonies for winter. See that all have at least 

 thirty pounds, by weight, of good, capped honey, and that all 

 are strong in bees. Contract the chamber, by using division 

 board, and cover well with the quilt. Be sure that one or 

 two central frames of comb contain many empty cells, and 

 that all have a central hole through which the bees can pass. 



NOVEMBER. 



Before the cold days come, remove the bees to the cellar 

 or depository, or pack about those left out on the summer 

 stands. 



DECEMBER. 



Now is the time to make hives, honey-boxes, &e., for the 

 coming year. Also labels for hives. These may just con- 

 tain the name of the colony, in which case the full record 

 will be kept in a book ; or the label may be made to contain 

 a full register as to time of formation, age of queen, &c., &c. 

 Slates are also used for the same purpose. 



I know from experience that any who heed all of the above 

 may succeed in bee-keeping, — may win a double success : — 

 Heceive pleasure and make money. I feel sure that many 

 experienced apiarists will find advice that it may pay to 

 follow. It is probable that errors abound, and certain that 

 much remains unsaid, for of all apiarists it is true that what 

 they do not know is greatly in excess of what they do know. 



