48 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



a little smoke is given at the entraiife. At other times it would 

 be bad to have smoke in the cellar, but as the bees are immedi- 

 ately to lia\e a chance to fly, it does no harm to have the cellar 

 filled with smoke. The hive entrances are left open; and as 

 the hives have been taken into the cellar with covers and bot- 

 tom-boards just as on the summer stands, (he work can be done 

 rapidly. 



Before each hi\e leaves the cellar, I make sure there are 

 li\e bees in it, by placing my ear at the entrance. If I hear 



Fiij. 13 — Entrance-blocks. 



nothing I blow into the entrance. That generally brings an 

 immediate response, but sometimes I will blow several times 

 before getting a sleepy reply from a strong colony. That pleases 

 me. If any are dead they are piled to one side in the cellar. 



PLACING OF COLONIES. 



Colonies intended for the home apiary are set upon their 

 stands. Those for the out-apiaries are set upon the ground not 

 far from the cellar, being placed in pairs, two hives almost 

 touching, then a space of a foot or more between that pair and 



