36 
MANUAL OP THE 
had made a small cluster of comb in the top of the 
Hive. I wished to make it smaller to accomodate the 
swarm. In January I brought them out of the cellar, 
on a very cold day, and turned the Hive bottom side 
up in the cold air. In a few moments the Bees were 
to all appearance dead. I then carefully, to prevent 
injury to the comb, took the Hive to pieces and re- 
duced its size one-half, put it together again with 
screws to prevent jarring it, and then removed them 
to a warm room, and in one hour I had a fine little 
swarm, full of life. In extreme cold weather Bees 
that are exposed to cold winds and storms, should 
be examined, and, if chilled and the Hive filled with 
frost, they should be removed to a warm room and 
resusciatcd. It may be done with safety and suc- 
cess. 
When I first commenced rearing and cultivating 
Bees, I practiced burying my weuk swarms about the 
first of December, and could succeed in bringing them 
forth alive in the Spring in nine cases out of ten; but 
they generally appeared weak and inactive for some 
time, aud finally I have found them either dead or 
robbed by stronger stocks as a general thing. In this 
case the comb is for the most part sour and mouldy, 
and renders the Bees unhealthy. Prom several years’ 
experience I am fully persuaded that this practice should 
be entirely abandoned. 
After this I carried my feeble swarms into my cellar 
in the fall, and let them remain there until warm days 
in March or April. I have also abandoned this method 
of wintering feeble swarms, and proceed in the follow- 
ing manner : I set my Hives on a bench one foot from 
a board fence or some building, and place the Ilives G 
inches apart. I then put up some boards in front of 
the Hives, and cover the ventilators with perforated tin, 
so as to let them have air, and then take dry straw and 
press it in well back, in front, and between the Hives, 
and cover them over the top one foot deep with straw, 
and then put a good cover over them to keep out 
the sleet and rain. If you hear much buzzing in the 
Hives in warm days in March, take them out. This 
