326 WINTERING BEES. 



needed, and in a manner the least injurious to the bees. If 

 a few of the holes on the surplus honey-board, are left open, 

 the moisture or breath of the bees, will ascend into the upper 

 cover, from which it cannot, in my hive, return to annoy the 

 colony. 



When the fullest honey -combs are put in the center of the 

 hive, in the Fall, a colony may be very much aided in re- 

 sisting the cold, by removing four combs from the hive, two 

 from each end. An empty frame well wrapped around with 

 cloth, or even with an old newspaper, should then be set up 

 close to the full ones, and the vacant spaces on each end, 

 filled with cotton, shavings, straw, &c. If the combs remov- 

 ed have any sealed honey in them, and the hive is not amply 

 provisioned, the caps of the cells may be sliced off, and the 

 frames put on the spare honey-board, some of the holes 

 leading into the hive being opened, so that the bees may 

 remove their contents. During all these operations, smoke 

 or sugar-water must be used, to keep the bees from annoying 

 the operator. By confining the bees to fewer combs in the 

 winter, they will be able to economize their animal heat to 

 much better advantage, and the vacant spaces, filled as di- 

 rected, will give them extraordinary protection against the 

 cold. 



Great caution should be used in doing anything to bees in 

 cold weather. Irreparable mischief is often occasioned by 

 disturbing a colony at such a time,- especially, if many are 

 tempted to separate themselves from the cluster, and some 

 even to fly ; before they become quiet again, many bees 

 often perish, and the whole mass being disturbed, when they 

 ought to be in almost deathless repose, are tempted to eat 

 a much larger quantity of food than they would otherwise 

 have needed. If, however, the weather should remain very 

 cold for a long time, it will often be necessary to carry the 



