WINTERING BEES. 327 



hives into a moderately warm room, until the frost is alt 

 thawed out of them, when they can again be returned to their 

 stands. It will also be advisable, about once in six weeks, 

 to clean the bottom-boards of dead bees. In the movable 

 comb-hive, this is done by a small scraper made of a piece of 

 iron wire about two feet long ; this, when heated, is bent at right 

 angles (like a poker), and the scraper part, which should be 

 about four inches long and flattened out to one quarter of an 

 inch wide, should be brought to an edge on both sides. 

 With a very little smoke, by means of this scraper, the bot- 

 tom-board may, in a few moments, be cleared of every dead 

 bee, and all other refuse. (See Implements.) 



If strips of wood 1-4 of an inch thick, are in the Fallj 

 laid upon the rabbets, and the frames raised upon them, the 

 bottoms of the frames will be 3-4 of an inch above the bot- 

 tom-board of the hive ; this will still allow a current of air 

 to pass over the tops of the frames, and will give ample room 

 for the discharge of dead bees, &c., below the frames. 1 

 should not, however, recommend this arrangement, except 

 where passages have been made, as above described, through 

 the combs. The frames might easily be elevated still higher 

 above the bottom-board, by deeper strips, if on trial, any 

 advantage was found in such an arrangement. 



The bee-keeper who winters his colonies out of doors, 

 should remember that they are never to have their entrances 

 so closed, that they cannot fly at pleasure. Many bees, it is 

 true, will be lost upon the snow, but often the larger part of 

 these are diseased, and the hive is better without them. If 

 the snow is hard enough to bear it up, a healthy bee is sel- 

 dom lost, unless tempted to leave its home, by the unusual 

 warmth of a clear sun, i^ining full upon the hive standing 

 in a sheltered place. It is better, however, to lose a few 

 bees in thi» way, than tO' incur the serious risk of shutting 



