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A YEAH AMONG THE BEES. 
and in others neither dead nor live bees can be seen ,— 
nothing but the bottom of the frames and a clean bottom- 
board. In any case I scrape out all the dead bees that I can, 
without disturbing the living. The upper hive in each pile 
I clean standing ; the other four I clean kneeling on an old 
cushion to avoid mashing dead bees with my knees. 
A whisk broom is used to brush off the entrance, and to 
brush out the bees that are on the ground between the hives. 
The bees on the ground are then swept up and carried out. 
In the early part of the winter they need cleaning once a 
month ; later, once in two weeks. 
I formerly thought that great care should be taken to avoid 
any disturbance of bees in the cellar, and it seems to me now 
that noise or jarring, or a light in the cellar, ought to be 
injurious, but considerable observation makes me less afraid 
of it. If the bees are very uneasy, a strong light upon them 
will make them fly out, and at such times, as in a warm 
spell in the spring, the cellar must be kept dark. I have, 
however, had the sun shining brightly into the entrance of a 
hive in the cellar without appearing to disturb the bees in 
the least. This was on a morning after the cellar had 
been thoroughly aired all night. 
When it seems troublesome to keep the bees quiet during 
a warm spell in early spring, the sun shining brightly, the 
air still, and the mercury at 50° in the shade— just such a day 
as would give the bees a splendid flight — there is a strong 
temptation to bring them out ; but if the soft maples are not 
yet in bloom I believe they are better in the cellar ; the next 
day may bring cold, chilly winds, and many bees may be lost. 
For instance : On March 19, 1886, the sun shoile brightly 
all day, and the weather had been warm for a few days 
previous ; but this day the mercury stood at 74° in the shade, 
and even after dark at 66°, the air still — in every way a 
delightful day. I thought it seemed too bad that the bees 
could not enjoy it ; but my wife reminded me of my own 
