OR AFTER 12. 
OBSERVATIONS FOR SPRINU. 
Bottom boards and ventilators should be kept closed 
in the spring until tho weather comes off warm l# 
facilitate raising young bees end preventing their ba» 
ing robbed. If there . are but few baes in the hive, 
some of tho holes at its entrance may be stopped to 
•noble the bees to guard themselves from their en«*v 
mies taking care at tho same time to clear the bottom 
board onco or twice a week until the hive is well re. 
plonished with bees. — Hoes should bo admitted Into 
tho drawers as soon as fruit trees are in blossom. 
It is not unusual for some swarms of bees to ovaoa> 
ate their hives in tho spring and join with others, 
without being robbed ; the cause usually is waut of 
honey. I have thought more bees are starved in 
spring than in winter months. 
APPENDIX. 
The fliver is made of three rough boards, half inch 
thick, seven inches wide, 24 inches long, nailed to* 
-getber like a common trough, open at both ends— a 
strap of iron riveted on its outside ; across the ceritru 
of each board, with a shank or socket to insert a rod 
to handle it with, so that when inverted by means of 
the rod, end placed over tho bees when alighting* 
forms a kind of half-hivo, which they readily cuter. 
