"WINTERING BEES. 343 
(provision for getting rid of this water should be 
made when putting down the floor.) 
TIME FOR SETTING OUT BEES. 
The time for carrying out bees is generally in 
March, but some seasons later. A warm pleasant day 
is the best, and one quite cold, better than one only 
moderately warm. 
After their long confinement, the light attracts them 
out at once, (unless very cold air prevents), and if the 
rays of a warm sun do not keep them active, they 
will soon be chilled and lost. 
Some bee-keepers take out their stocks at evening. 
If we could be always sure of having the next day a 
fair one, it would probably be the best time ; but 
should it be only moderate, or cloudy, it would be 
attended with considerable loss — or if the next day 
should be quite cold, but few would leave, and then 
the only risk would be to get a good day , before one 
that was just warm enough to make them leave the 
hive, but not quite enough to enable them to return. 
NOT TOO MANY STOCKS TAKEN OUT AT ONCE. 
When too many are taken out at once, the rush 
from all the hives is so much like a swarm, that it 
appears to confuse them. Some of the stocks by this 
means will get more bees than actually belong to 
them, while others are proportionably short, which 
is unprofitable, and to equalize them is some trouble ; 
yet it may be done. Being all wintered in one room, 
the scent or the means of distinguishing their own 
