MONTHLY MANAGEMENT. 
12 , 
August. 
Opening hives or removing surplus honey, should now be done 
;arly in the morning, after sunset, or on a cool day, exposing 
the honey as little as possible to tempt the bees. Boxes nearly 
filled with clover honey may be removed before buckwheat 
honey, which is darker, is stored with it. If any stock remain 
queenless, (page 31,) divide any buckwheat swarm that may 
issue, and give it the half containing the queen, returning the 
other half to the parent stock, or any small colony or nucleus 
may be united to the queepless stock. (Page 33.) Buckwheat 
swarms are easily made good for winter by giving them frames 
of honey or empty comb. (Page 90.) If wild bees are in the 
vicinity, line them from fields of buckwheat. (Page 91.) When 
the flowers begin to fail, is the time of greatest danger from rob- 
bing ; avoid it by taking care of colonies too weak to defend 
themselves. (Pages 33, 102.) The beginner, if fearful, may 
wear a bee hat (page 38) or carry a smoke in the hand when 
about the stocks, blowing a little into any near by, if irritable. 
When rags for smoke are not at hand dry rotten-wood may be 
used, and is an excellent substitute. (Page 37.) If not already 
done, the bee-keeper may Italianize common stocks during this 
and the fall months. 
September. 
Bees now find scanty pasturage, except in sections where 
golden-rod and other late flowers abound. Should any young 
swarm be deficient in bee-bread, exchange a comb or two with 
an old stock that has an excess. (Page 107.) If a colony 
