bee-keeper's calendar. 
367 
combs may aft erwards be returned, if the bees have not a 
sufficient supply without them. 
If no Fall supplies abound, and any stocks are too light 
to winter with safety, then, in the Northern States, the 
latter part of this month is the proper time for feeding 
them. I have already stated (p. 274), that it is impossible 
to tell how much food a colony will require, to carry it 
safely through the Winter; it will be found, however, 
very unsafe to trust to a bare supply, for even if there is 
food enough, it may not always be readily accessible to 
the bees. Great caution will still be necessary to guard 
against robbing; but if there are no feeble, queenless, or 
impoverished stocks, the bees, unless tempted by improper 
management, will seldom rob each other. 
October. — Forage is now almost entirely exhausted in 
most localities, and colonies which are too light should 
either be fed, or have surplus honey from other stocks 
given to them, early this month. The exact condition of 
every stock should now be known, at the latest, and, if 
any arc queenless, they should be broken up. Small 
colonies ought to be united, and all the hives put into 
proper condition for wintering. Some full honey-combs 
should be put in the centre of the hive, and holes, for 
easy intercommunication, made in the combs (p. 337); 
and, if the hives have a winter-passage, bees should now 
be accustomed to use it (p. 338). By the last of this 
month, the glass hives should be packed between their 
outer cases and the glass, with cotton waste, moss, or any 
warm material. 
November. — I take for granted that all necessary pre¬ 
parations for Winter have, in our Northern States, been 
completed by the last of the previous month. If, how¬ 
ever the bee-keeper has been prevented from examining 
his stocks, he may, on warm days, in November, safely 
