e honey, in proportion to their numbers, and will be in most
excellent condition when the Spring opens. It must not, however, be
forgotten, that although they eat comparatively little in the Winter,
they must be well supplied in the Spring; as they will then have a very
large number of mouths to feed, to say nothing of the thousands of young
bees bred in the hive. If any old-fashioned bee-keeper wishes, he can
thus pursue the old plan, with only this modification; that he preserves
the lives of the bees in the hives which he wishes to take up; secures
his honey without any fumes of sulphur, and saves the empty comb to make
it worth nearly ten times as much to himself, as it would be, if melted
into wax. Let no humane bee-keeper ever feel that there is the slightest
necessity for so managing his bees as to make the comparison of
Shakespeare always apposite:

"When like the Bee, tolling from every flower
The virtuous sweets;
Our thighs packed with wax, our mouths, with honey,
We bring it to the hive; and like the bees,
Are murdered for our pains."

While I am an advocate for breaking up all stocks which cannot be
wintered advantageously, I never advise that a single bee should be
killed. Self interest and Christianity alike forbid the unnecessary
sacrifice.

TRANSFERRING BEES FROM THE COMMON HIVE TO THE MOVABLE COMB HIVE.

The construction of my hive is such, as to permit me to transfer bees
from the common hives, during all the season that the weather is warm
enough to permit them to fly; and yet to be able to guarantee that they
will receive no serious damage by the change.

On the 10th of November, 1852, in the latitude of Northern
Massachusetts, I transferred a colony which wintered in good health, and
which now, May, 1853, promises to make an excellent stock. The day was
warm, but after the operation was completed, the weather suddenly became
cold, and as the bees were not able to leave the hive in order to obtain
the water necessary for repairing their comb, they were supplied with
that indispensable article. They went to work _very_ busily, and in a
short time mended up their combs and attached them firmly to the frames.

The transfer may be made of any healthy colony, and if they are strong
in numbers, and the hive is well provisioned, and the weather is not too
cool when the operation is attempted, they will scarcely feel the
change. If the weather should be too chilly, it will be fou