Remove all surplus boxes and frames as soon as storing ceases, which usually occurs about the middle of this month; feed sparingly till the first of October. If robbing occurs, contract the entrance of the hive robbed. If it is desired to feed honey or sugar for winter, it should be done the last of this month.
OCTOBER.
Prepare colonies for winter. See that all have at least thirty pounds, by weight, of good, capped honey, and that all are strong in bees. Contract the chamber, by using division board, and cover well with the quilt. Be sure that one or two central frames of comb contain many empty cells, and that all have a central hole through which the bees can pass.
NOVEMBER.
Before the cold days come, remove the bees to the cellar or depository, or pack about those left out on the summer stands.
DECEMBER.
Now is the time to make hives, honey-boxes, &c., for the coming year. Also labels for hives. These may just contain the name of the colony, in which case the full record will be kept in a book; or the label may be made to contain a full register as to time of formation, age of queen, &c., &c. Slates are also used for the same purpose.
I know from experience that any who heed all of the above may succeed in bee-keeping,—may win a double success:—Receive pleasure and make money. I feel sure that many experienced apiarists will find advice that it may pay to follow. It is probable that errors abound, and certain that much remains unsaid, for of all apiarists it is true that what they do not know is greatly in excess of what they do know.
AXIOMS.
The following axioms, given by Mr. Langstroth, are just as true to-day as they were when written by that noted author: