A YEAR AMONG THE BEES. 
101 
pile, is because, sometimes in the spring, when carrying out, 
a hive, when lifted from the pile, pulls the cloth or quilt 
with it from the next hive under it. The bee-glue of the 
quilt becomes attached to the hive over it, and the newspaper 
prevents this. 
Thus in succession, additional piles are brought in, and 
each pile is independent of the others, so that if one happens 
to be jarred, only the hives in that pile are affected by it. 
Often the bees get so warmed up by the middle of the 
forenoon, that they tty out when their hive is lifted to be 
carried into the cellar. In this ease the hive is put back on 
its summer stand, and another colony, less wide-awake, is 
taken. But if the rousing up becomes general, operations 
must cease until the after-part of the day or the next morn- 
ing. If for any reason, as the lateness of the season, or the 
fear of an approaching storm, it is thought best to carry in 
a hive whether the bees are willing or not, the entrance 
must be stopped. For this purpose,— as there is no danger 
of suffocation from stopping for a short time— I know of 
nothing better than a large rag or cloth which will easily 
cover the entire entrance. The rag must be dripping wet. 
In this condition it can be very quickly laid at the entrance, 
and being cold and wet the bees seem to be driven back by 
it, and when the rag is removed in the cellar, few if any bees 
come out. If dry, the bees would sting the rag, and upon its 
removal in the cellar a crowd of angry bees would follow it. 
Sometimes the piles are ranged in a single row, clear 
around the cellar, the entrances facing toward the center 
and the backs 6 inches or more from the cellar wall. At 
other times they are placed in parallel rows across the cellar, 
two rows close together back to back. In every case a clear 
space is left in front of each hive so that I can easily 
approach it. 
If, on carrying in, it should by any means happen that any 
hives are light, and there is fear that feeding may be nec- 
essary before they are carried out in the spring, such hives 
are piled separately where they are easily gotten at and 
