zS A Modern Bee-Farm 



As the cool weaiher comes on, the bees which but lately 

 appeared to fill the hive, crowd into a compact mass, occupying 

 not one-tenth of the space. The winter cluster is formed where 

 brood has lately been hatched, towards the central lower part of 

 the combs ; thus the bees are able to enter these cells, head to 

 head on opposite sides, as well as cluster between, forming one 

 vinbroken mass, and so keeping up the necessary temperature. 

 In this state the bees do not rely upon any outside covering other 

 than simple protection from direct draught. The older the 

 combs are the more protection afforded in Winter ; but one wall 

 of the hive, at least, that on the south side, can hardly be too 

 thin, as an occasional gleam of sunshine penetrates at once, and 

 so enables the bees to shift their position, and re-arrange the 

 stores around the cluster, even though the temperature may be 

 too low for any to fly out. Therefore, wherever the entrance 

 may be placed, it is absolutely necessary that the frames of comb 

 shall stand end on to the south wall. 



Providing pollen is at hand, breeding commences in all good 

 colonies soon after the " turn of days," but at first the patches of 

 brood are small, and limited to the very heart of the cluster, to 

 guard against chill. It is not by any means to be supposed that 

 henceforth young bees are brought forth without intermission ; 

 but it is a fact, nevertheless, that a colony, failing through any 

 cause, to produce this early batch of youngsters, will stand in the 

 back ground all through the season, as presently the loss of bee- 

 life will be so great that a late hatch of young ones cannot 

 possibly keep pace with the deaths occasioned by almost daily 

 flights. On the other hand, two or three generations of young 

 bees brought to life before general flights occur, give a colony so 

 great an advantage that no perceptible diminution occurs, and by 

 the time Spring opens, the population has been almost entirely 

 renewed, so that henceforth the progress of that stock is rapid. 



Presuming that the colony we have had under consideration, 

 has plenty of stores of both kinds, and a good queen at its head, 

 at the approach of May, some of the large cells have eggs 

 deposited in them : these also hatch on the third day and the 



