Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Bees.djvu/191

Rh to carry his bees through not only the winter months, but those of spring also. But even to the well-provisioned, a little additional supply will be welcome, and prove advantageous, infusing fresh spirits into the hard-working labourers, encouraging the laying of the Queen, and consequently contributing greatly to the rapid increase of the population, and to the production of early swarms. We need not fear being over-liberal; the bees are excellent economists and will carefully husband what we entrust to them. The first care of the cultivator, after the appearance of his bees in spring, is to inspect his hives. Lifting them gently from the stool, he will sweep away all the dead bees, eggs of moths, scrapings of wax, mouldiness, or other offensive matters that have accumulated during the winter, and clean and dry the floor-board effectually. The lower part of the combs, where the population is scanty, is sometimes found to be mouldy; it will save the workers much trouble, and contribute to their health, to cut those parts away. Let the cover, if of straw, be next taken off; mice are often found lodging between it and the hive, and, secure from observation, work their way down into the interior. The cover should be renewed, and carefully fastened close to the hive by one or two wooden hoops. As the consumption of food in spring is very great, in consequence of the prodigious quantity of brood reared—the queen laying at the rate of 100 to 200 eggs daily—the cultivator must see that there is an abundant supply, and commence feeding, if there appears any thing like a