THE HONEY-BEE. 
235 
thin muslin spread over its mouth, and held within a 
yard of the fire. When they recover, which they 
will do in a few minutes, let them be taken out to the 
apiary, and the muslin removed, and they will speedi- 
ly regain their respective habitations. 
Once or twice during the winter, the hives ought 
to be lifted from their stools, and carefully inspect- 
ed ; all cobwebs swept off, the floor-board thoroughly 
cleaned, and the outer covers or surtouts repaired 
and adjusted, so that the rain or snow may not gain 
admittance ; the snow, especially, as soon as fallen 
should be cleared away. 
In the preceding chapter, when treating of taking 
the honey, and at the same time preserving the lives 
of the bees, w r c recommended the uniting of the ex- 
pelled bees to the stock-hives, and pointed out an 
easy method of accomplishing this union. If the 
stock-hive be very large, two or even three expelled 
swarms may be joined to it. In that case it will be 
prudent to see that there is sufficient provision for so 
many additional mouths ; for nothing seems more 
reasonable, or more consonant with experience, than 
the conclusion, that if the population be increased, 
the means of maintaining it must also be augmented. 
And yet a very experienced Bee-master has averred, 
and supports his averments by a miuute detail of his 
experiments on the subject, that it is not necessary 
the reinforced hive should have double or treble 
stores in order to supply the wants of its notv doubled 
or trebled population. The fact, — if feet it be, — is 
rather astounding ; however, M. Gelieu, a Swiss 
