184 MAECH. 



in winter, they should be given an opportunity to fly and void their 

 feces, as soon as possible. If the remaining stores seem to be bad 

 they should then be fed with sugar candy, or if near spring, with sugar 

 syrup. Sudden exposure to cold seems to increase the tendency to the 

 disease ; whilst when in warm comfortable quarters, they generally void 

 their feces in a dry state in wiuter. Combs soiled by bees having 

 dysentery should be washed by a small stream of water from a syringe. 

 and may be returned to the bees in the Spring. 



As in January, take care that all the necessary hives, tools, and im- 

 plements are in readiness for summer. 



MARCH. 



This is the trying time on bees, and the seed time for the apiarian. 

 Every hive should be examined, and if stores are scant, they should be 

 supplemented. We cannot too strongly insist on the importance of 

 regular feeding, if once begun. The feeders should be placed under the 

 quilt, so that the bees can get at the warm liquid food, without leaving 

 the cluster. They should not be fed in the morning for two reasons. 

 First, Because it is apt to induce robbing ; and, Secondly, Because when 

 they have warm food during the day, bees are tempted to fly out, and 

 many will thus be chilled. The auger feeder, described under "Feed- 

 ing" answers well for this season of the year. The syrup should be 

 made quite thin, as bees need much water. Early in March, or six 

 weeks before fruit blossoms will appear, each colony should be confined, 

 to only so many combs as it can well fill, by a movable division board 

 until the combs are pretty well filled with brood, and at intervails of 

 from five to ten days, the combs opened and an empty one inserted. 

 By this means the heat of the colonies is retained, the queen stimulated 

 and brood reared very rapidly. Be cautious not to expand more rapidly 



