Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: fore, depends on the preservation of those hives which are to stand the winter. To protect them, apply the guard invented by Mr. Espinasse, (see Plate B, ) which is calculated to prove highly beneficial in its effect. In September, your attention should be directed to weigh your stocks; none of those of less than from fifteen to twenty pounds in weight can safely be relied on to stand the winter, without feeding; and stop all hives down to the board with mortar. PURCHASING OF BEES, To establish an Apiary. The best time to establish an Apiary is about Feb.: as the stocks have passed through the winter in safety ?the combs are then empty of brood, light of honey, and the removal safe and easy. Stocks should be selected by a competent judge, as the weight alone cannot always be relied on; but such as weigh twelve pounds and upwards?the number of Bees must also be observed, and that they are well combed to near the bottom ?these may be safely chosen. When they are brought home, set them in your Bee- house, being particularly careful to keep them dry. The next day, plaster the hive to the board, leaving an entrance the size of your small finger. If this season has passed, purchase the first and early swarms; for late ones or casts are not worth keeping, unless two or three have been united. To remove stocks, the evening is the best time; the hive should be raised by wedges some hours previous, unless the floor be also moveable with the hive?otherWise, many Bees will remain on the floor at the time, and prove very troublesome. But when the floor is moveable, which I prefer, you can plaster the hive with mortar to the board; pin a card pierced with holes before the entrance, securing the hive to the board firmly; in this way it would travel any distance. Swarms …
