MARCH. 435 



liberty, and should the weather not be fine, the death of 

 many will be the consequence. 



Should the situation of the apiary not offer the indis- 

 pensable requisite of water, the bee-master must now take 

 the precautionary step to place troughs or pans of water 

 in the vicinity of the hives. It will, however, sometimes 

 happen, that the water placed on the preceding night will 

 be found, at this season of the year, to be frozen in the 

 morning. This water should be immediately removed, as 

 melted ice is highly injurious to the bees. 



Some hives may be found this month to be in a very 

 weak and languid state, which not the most abundant sup- 

 ply of food can exhilarate, nor the utmost skill of the pro- 

 prietor excite to vigilance and activity. The bees will 

 dwindle away by degrees, until the hive becomes wholly 

 abandoned. This is an infallible sign either of the barren- 

 ness of the queen, of the internal disorganization of the 

 hive from disease, or of its being wholly divested of any 

 fecundated eggs of the preceding season. Under such cir- 

 cumstances, the proprietor should immediately proceed to 

 join the bees to the weakest stock-hive in the apiary. (See 

 Instructions for the junction of hives. J 



In the feeding of the weaker hives, particular care must 

 be taken this month to protect them from the depredations 

 of stranger bees. At this season of the year, the most 

 approved period for feeding is the evening, and early on 

 the following morning to take away the surplus food, of 

 which it is most probable that there will be very little or 

 none ; but should such be the case, to restore it to the hives 

 again in the evening. The sense of smell is so acute in 

 the bee, that it immediately scents the food which may be 

 placed in a hive ; and should it be a weak one, which the 



