294 FORTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES. 



haps the walls are whitewashed and the floor limed, al- 

 though this is generally done after taking out in the 

 spring. Strips of boards are placed on the ground so 

 that the bottom hive has its bottom-board an inch or two 

 above the ground at the front end, and an inch more at 

 the back end. 



CARRYING IN HIVES. 



Hives are carried in just as they are, because before 

 the time for hauling bees home all false bottoms were 

 removed, and the bottom-boards fastened to the hives 

 where necessary. With the large ventilating space at 

 the entrance, and with abundance of stores, there is no 

 need to loosen the gluing of a cover^from before the time 

 a colony is hauled home till after the time for hauling 

 back in spring. 



PILING HIVES IN CELLAR. 



The hives are piled five high, each pile independent 

 of the others, so jarring one hive can jar only four 

 others. First a row of piles is put at the farther side 

 of the cellar, the hives close side by side, entrances facing 

 the wall, with a space of about two feet between them and 

 the wall. Then another row is placed back to back close 

 up against this row. Then comes a space of about two 

 feet, and another row facing the space, so that entrances 

 face each side of the space. Then comes another row, 

 back to back, and so on. That makes the hives in double 

 rows, back to back, with a two foot space in which to get 

 at the entrances. 



As far as convenient, the heavier hives are put at 

 the bottom, and lighter at top. It is easier work to do 

 so, and the lighter ones have perhaps the advantage by 

 being higher up, where it is a little warmer. 



