62 
APBIL MA5TAOEME3VT. 
Spring is now moving gently upon us ; occasional 
sunny days, with a mild atmosphere are unloosening 
the ice-bound girdle that has held in check the teeming 
millions of the insect world that have during the long 
night of repose been imprisoned by the frosts of 
winter. 
The chilling blasts that still mingle with the pleas- 
ant days, remind us that constant care is necessary at 
this season of the year if we meet with success, for 
now, more than ever, your bees need close attention. 
They must be brought from the cellar as soon as the 
weather will permit, placing your hive and bench as 
near as possible where they were the year before, for 
their memory of the past season is here particularly 
manifest. If placed a few rods away from the spot 
where they were the year before, they will be seen 
visiting their old stand by hundreds, for a number of 
days. If bees are placed in the same yard where they 
were the year before, occupying a different position, 
many of them will, when let out, go to the old stand, 
and should another colony be there, they will attempt 
to enter the hive, and lighting and perhaps robbery 
will be the consequence. When bees are first carried 
from the cellar and put upon the stands, the inner por- 
tion of the hive should be lifted from the outer, and all 
dead bees and filth cleaned from the hive, and then 
placed back again until the weather becomes warm 
enough to take out the frames separately and clean 
them off, without chilling the brood. May will be a 
good time for this. Always choose some fine day to 
carry your bees from the cellar, first placing your mat 
over the preserver and placing the cap on ; raise the 
