PEARCE METHOD OP BEE-KEEPING 21 



glue. Across the corner is the best place to pry first to 

 loosen them, and it should not take more than five minutes 

 to take off the honey cases in the fall, nor more than that 

 amount of time to put them on in the spring. Do not fail 

 to put the honey-cases on the first of May and take them 

 off the first of November, and, since it is quite probable that 

 these two visits are the only ones which will of necessity 

 be made during the year, it is essential that the work be 

 carefully done at these times. 



Remember to take off the wire screen if you have had 

 one on during the winter, and set on the honey-cases care- 

 fully and straight, making all movements around the bees 

 very quietly, thus avoiding all stings. Do not pound or 

 thump on the hive, as the bees are apt to come out and 

 resent it. Put on plenty of honey cases, as many as four 

 at a time ; or if you are at all acquainted with bees, put on 

 two at a time every two weeks until six have been used. On 

 top of these honey cases, pile all the winter covering. A 

 piece of oil-cloth can be put on top of the cases first, oil 

 side down, and the winter covering on top of this. Now let 

 them alone, unless it is possible to have a bee expert look 

 them over. About the first of November, when the good 

 wife gets the buckwheat cakes started, take the honey-cases 

 off and cover up the hive for their long winter's nap. 



There must be no crevices where the wind from outside 

 can blow up through the hives. Remember that if all is 

 tight above, the draught from below will do no harm. 



