24 
BEE- CULTURE. 
edges in llio first hive, putting the heavy end down as the 
hive now stands ; scraps of empty comb or wads of paper can 
be placed between the combs to hold them in place until the 
bees have fastened them. Now shake the bees of the other 
colony into this, and sprinkle it with your sweet-scented wa- 
ter and cover it over closely except a small entrance for the 
bees, and leave it in this position until the combs are all 
fastened in the hive, one, two or more weeks. The bees will 
eat the honey out of these newly put in combs first, making 
them light, and these combs will be a fine addition to their 
stock for the next season. Two small colonies, if run to- 
gether, will eat much less than they would if wintered 
separately. 
WEAK COLONIES SUFFER MOST FROM COLD. 
For though they may not freeze, a too long exposure to a 
low temperature produces dysentery ; and bees are of such a 
cleanly nature, that when their bodies are distended with ex- 
crement they cannot retain it; they will leave the hive 
to relieve themselves, even at the risk of perishing. In this 
way colonies are sometimes depopulated in early spring, when 
they have been too damp in the winter, or have been too thinly 
populated to keep up the necessary heat. Protracted damp- 
ness inside of a hive produces dysentery, as it seems to sour 
the honey and chill the bees. A colony that is suffering with 
this disease will generally have the entrance, and sometimes 
most of the whole front of the hive, daubed with excrement; 
and if they can not get out, they will so smear the combs, 
that death is almost inevitable. This seems to be the only 
disease that prevails amongst bees except Foul-Brood.* 
WINTERING. 
On wintering bees such a variety of plans have been sug- 
gested that the inexperienced are puzzled to determine which 
is best. Some recommend burying them in grain, burying 
* This is ft disease in which tho brood rots in the cells and is fatal to the colony. 1 f 
tbo bees of other colonies eat honey from the diseased one, it gives them the direaso 
also. Many extensivo bee-keopoi8 in Germany have lost hundreds of colonies Irom 
this cause; and in tho State of N<-\v York, it prevails extensively. 1 know of some 
cases in Western Pennsylvania. Thoro is little or nono of it in Ohio, and I hope there 
never will be. It Las been transmitted by shipment to California. Tho cause seems 
a mystery. Tho remedy is to drive all of the b< es of on affocted colony into au empty 
hive, and render tho honey, bringing it to u boil, to purify it for use. 
