thin muslin spread over its mouth, and held within a yard of the fire. When they recover, which they will do in a few minutes, let them be taken out to the apiary, and the muslin removed, and they will speedily regain their respective habitations.
Once or twice during the winter, the hives ought to be lifted from their stools, and carefully inspected; all cobwebs swept off, the floor-board thoroughly cleaned, and the outer covers or surtouts repaired and adjusted, so that the rain or snow may not gain admittance; the snow, especially, as soon as fallen should be cleared away.
In the preceding chapter, when treating of taking the honey, and at the same time preserving the lives of the bees, we recommended the uniting of the expelled bees to the stock-hives, and pointed out an easy method of accomplishing this union. If the stock-hive be very large, two or even three expelled swarms may be joined to it. In that case it will be prudent to see that there is sufficient provision for so many additional mouths; for nothing seems more reasonable, or more consonant with experience, than the conclusion, that if the population be increased, the means of maintaining it must also be augmented. And yet a very experienced Bee-master has averred, and supports his averments by a minute detail of his experiments on the subject, that it is not necessary the reinforced hive should have double or treble stores in order to supply the wants of its now doubled or trebled population. The fact,—if fact it be,—is rather astounding; however, M. Gelieu, a Swiss
