THE HONEY-BEE. 
1ST 
to carry his bees through not only the winter months, 
hut those of spring also. But even to the well-pro- 
visioned, a little additional supply will be welcome, 
and prove advantageous, infusing fresh spirits into 
the hard-working labourers, encouraging the laying 
of the Queen, and consequently contributing greatly 
to the rapid increase of the population, and to the pro- 
duction of early swarms. We need not fear being 
over-liberal ; the bees are excellent economists and 
will carefully husband what we entrust to them. 
The first care of the cultivator, after the appear- 
ance of his bees in spring, is to inspect his hives. 
Lifting them gently from the stool, he will sweep 
away all the dead bees, eggs of moths, scrapings of 
wax, mouldiness, or other offensive matters that have 
accumulated during the winter, and clean and dry 
the floor-hoard effectually. The lower part of the 
combs, where the population is scanty, is sometimes 
found to be mouldy ; it will save the workers much 
trouble, and contribute to their health, to cut those 
parts away. Let the cover, if of straw, he next taken 
off; mice are often found lodging between it and the 
hive, and, secure from observation, work their way 
down into the interior. The cover should be re- 
newed, and carefully fastened close to the hive by 
one or two wooden hoops. As the consumption of 
food in spring is very great, in consequence of the 
prodigious quantity of brood reared — the queen lay- 
ing at the rate of 100 to 200 eggs daily — the culti- 
vator must see that there is an abundant supply, and 
commence feeding, if there appears any. thing like a 
