MONTHLY MANAGEMENT 197 



ventilation, the entrances contracted so as to keep out mice, and all snug 

 for winter. Spare combs should be carefully preserved and laid away 

 for use in the spring. Small and queenless colonies should be united, 

 winter passages made, old queens superseded, and young ones intro- 

 duced. Queens may be reared thus late by keeping one strong colony 

 queenless, so that it will relain drones for fertilization. 



Some stocks if not extracted may have too much honey. If so equal- 

 ize them by exchanging with some poorer colony, and see that some 

 empty comb is left near the bottom of the central frames for clustering. 

 In modern climates sufficient passage is given from comb to comb for 

 winter by laying a stick an inch in diameter across the frames, under the 

 quilt, but in cold climates both this and holes in the comb are recom- 

 mended. Remember that the essentials of good wintering are, a plenty 

 of young bees with a fertile queen, an abundance of good sealed honey 

 easily accessible, and warmth with proper ventilation. 



A good cotton quilt with three or four thicknesses of batting, makes 

 perhaps, as good as any obsorbing material, It is light and may be 

 easily removed for feeding or for examination. 



To unite bees smoke them thoroughly and sprinkle them with sweeten- 

 ed water, strongly scented with anise or peppermint, and either shake 

 the bees altogether into an empty box, using as many of the best combs 

 as are necessary in the new hive, and then pour the bees at the entrance 

 of the hive, or after smoking and sprinkling well put one frame alter- 

 nately from each hive into the new hive, brushing all the bees off at tho 

 extrance and set this new hive in an intermediate position between 

 the two. 



If any boxes have remained on till this month they should be now 

 removed and packed as neatly as possible in crates with glass sides, as 

 recommended under the head of "Crates." If your honey is extracted 



