460 



COMMENTS 



The Valine 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



FROM THE GOTSWOLD HILLS 



BY A. H. BOWEN 



A well-sheltered apiaiy is a great asset 

 to successful beekeeping". Not only do the 

 bees winter better and with less loss where 

 the hives are adequate- 

 ly p r t e c t e d, but 

 brood-rearing' is start- 

 ed full early, and colo- 

 nies will build up al- 

 most twice as fast as 

 they do in an exposed 

 apiary- where there is 

 little shelter from l!ie 

 elements. 



On the Cotswold 

 Hills we think the ide- 

 al location is a clear- 

 ing: in a plantation or 

 spinney, where the un- 

 dergTowth around i,s 

 sufficiently dense to 

 bi'eak the force of the 

 wind and render the 

 air warm and still, 

 even in the chilly days 

 of winter. With the 

 hive facing south they 



catch tJie full raj^s of the sun, and in tlie 

 spring the bees can visit the water-trough 

 or box of pea Hour with perfect safety. 



A shelterpcl nook within a c-opse the ideal location. 



Moreover, a sheltered apiary is ahead of 

 an exposed one all through the season. 

 Manipulations can be carried out in com.- 

 fort, while the bees are invariably better 

 temjDered than where a breeze is blowing 

 around the hives and driving the bee-veil 

 against the face of the operator. 



Especially is protection necessary in a 

 queen-rearing apiary Avhen the bees are 



frequently examined, 

 tered situation near 



Simple uucapping-box. 



Flirt hermoie, a sliel- 

 tlic ajtiary atfords 

 an opportunity for 

 the mating o f 

 queens in restricted 

 mating weather, 

 when the outside 

 temperature is low 

 or a strong breeze 

 is blowing:. 



Shelter is so im- 

 portant that, in 

 starting a new api- 

 ary, I would cer- 

 tainly give the pref- 

 erence to a well- 

 protected spot. The 

 cut gi\'es a good 

 idea of an English 

 apiary with a natu- 

 ral windbreak. 



