OUT-DOOR SHELTERING. 349 



after the bees of the latter have been thoroughly frightened 

 with smoke. (382.) 



634. If, when two colonies are put together, the bees in 

 the one on the old stand are not gorged with honey, they 

 wUl often attack the others, and speedily sting them to death, 

 in spite of all their attempts to purchase immunity, by offer- 

 ing theii- honey. The late Wm. W. Gary, of Coleraine, Mas- 

 sachusetts, who was an accurate observer of the habits of bees, 

 united colonies very successfully, by alarming those that were 

 on the old stand] as soon as they showed by their notes, that 

 they were subdued, he gave them the new-comers. The alarm 

 which causes them to gorge themselves with honey, puts them, 

 doubtless, upon their good behavior, long enough to give the 

 others a fair chance. 



They can also be made to unite peaceably, by sprinkling a 

 little sweet-scented water on them (485). It is well to put 

 a slanting board in front of the entrance (603) to show the 

 moved bees that their location is changed. The empty hive 

 should be removed from its place to prevent the bees from 

 returning to it. The number of combs in the united colony 

 may be reduced as soon as the bees have all clustered together. 



In this manner a strong colony with little honey, and a 

 weak one with plenty of stores, may be united to form a good 

 hive of bees. 



Out-Door Sheltering. 



635. The moving of a colony to a warmer or better 

 sheltered place, just before Winter, is not advisable, for many 

 bees, not having noticed their new location, would perish of 

 cold, while searching for their home, and the population would 

 be greatly decreased. 



In our Northern, Middle and Western States, the style of 

 hive used has a considerable influence on the safety of out- 

 door wintering. 



With hives that are single-walled all around, great care 

 should be taken to shelter the bees from the piercing winds. 



