282 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. 



July 



ion, used as a seat, and for carrying empty combs, 

 hives, etc. Now, in moving- around in friend Plasty's 

 apiary, we would be constantly in front of hives, 

 and in the path of returning- bees, which would re- 

 sult in more or less confusion. In relation to bees 

 getting- into the wrong hive, I think any one empty 

 hive on the side of a group will, in some emergen- 

 cies (for instance, before a thunder shower), catch 

 many bees that belong to the other two hives. 

 They will mix more or less in all apiaries, unless 

 the hives are spread over a large tract of ground, 

 and this the bee keeper who considers steps can not 

 allow; nor can he adopt the other extreme of allow- 

 ing them to stand close together on a bench, in a row, 

 where the bees, hanging to the outside of the hives, 

 would intermingle, as we have seen them, and all 

 apparently be in brotherly love together. 



We have stated in a former article, our plan of 

 laying out an apiary, and, having worked this sys- 

 tem for three years, we would be loth to try another 

 plan. We lay off our apiary in circles; the lirst 

 circle contains ten hives, all facing to the centre, 

 and placed five feet from centre to centre. The 

 hives of the next row face outward; the next to- 



ward the centre; the next outward, etc. We thus 

 have a series of alleys or streets in our miniature 

 city, one being a thoroughfare for the bees, and the 

 next for the owner and his cart; for, while we are 

 walking around in our street in the rear of the hives, 

 the next street is a complete vortex of buzzing bees. 

 Every hive in a circle faces a different point of the 

 compass, and the bees are thus less liable to enter 

 each other's hives. The larger the circle, the near- 

 er the position of the hives approaches a straight 

 line. Here we can resort to the grouping system, 

 as seen on the exterior circle. 



In the centre, we have a pole with running vines 

 upon it. The alleys upon which the hives face are 

 decorated with various flower beds, rare plants, etc. 

 Our better half attends to the posies, while sawdust, 

 tan bark, and a hoe keep down the weeds and grass. 

 Our apiary occupies a space of 70x70, inclosed with 

 a high board fence, and shaded to some extent by 

 ten plum trees. I herewith send you a diagram, 

 hoping it will be of interest to you. 



J. H. Martin. 



Hartford, N. Y., June 12, 1879. 



A CIRCULAR APIARY ON THE PLAN OF J. II. MARTIN S. 



After reading tlie above, our engraver 

 drew the sketch we have given, planning it 

 for only 48 hives, instead of for nearly a 

 hundred, as friend Martin's is. The idea of 

 having one thoroughfare for the bees, and 

 another for the apiarist, I like very much. 

 but I am afraid those hives standing so 

 nearly in the same position, side by side, 

 would be almost sure to confound our bees. 

 The grouping in the outer circles, we have 

 omitted to show, for want of space. I men- 

 tioned last month, using coal cinders cover- 

 ed with white sand, about the entrances. 

 Well, to keep the grass down, between the 

 hives, we are now using a lawn mower, with 

 much satisfaction. By running it through 

 the alleys, in the three different directions, 

 it leaves the ground just beautiful. The doc- 

 tor said I would better go to California and 

 stay a year, but I much prefer to stay in the 

 apiary and run the lawn mower, and if you 

 could see me this morning — June 27th — I 

 guess you would decide the lawn mower 



would answer every purpose if ''rightly ap- 

 plied/' 



jusTbefoee going- to press. 



|The contents of this department are supposed to 

 be given in an informal way, just before the last 

 form is placed in the press. You can imagine my- 

 self, hat in one hand (said hat being covered with 

 sawdust, honey, bees wax, printers ink, etc.), and 

 the other hand on the door knob, just ready to bid 

 you good day until next month, giving you a sum- 

 mary of the last items of interest in the way of new 

 discoveries, etc. The press man will probably cut 

 my talk suddenly short, by telling me he cannot 

 possibly squeeze in another single word, saying noth- 

 ing about line or lines.] 



Ai,Tnour,H wc have received a great many sub- 

 scriptions this month, so many others have expired, 

 our record counts almost the same— 4840. 



Spools of tinned wire, for fastening fdn. in 

 frames, will be 8c each, or 75c per doz. ; if sent by 

 mail, 2 c each, extra. Each spool will fill 35 frames. 



