MAY 1, 1913 



basswood, or other staple sources of nectar 

 to give promise of a yield of honey, the 

 next thing to be considered is the spring- 

 feed proposition. Indeed, after a number 

 of years' experience I am a bit doubtful if 

 this question should be designated by "next" 

 or by " first," as every year 1 am more than 

 ever convinced that a good spring location 

 is about as essential as any thing in so far 

 as the getting of a crop of honey is con- 

 cerned. One thing is certain to me, at least; 

 and that is, that I would take an ordinary 

 clover location coupled with a first-class 

 spring locality in preference to one having 

 a superabundance of clover, but with prac- 

 tically no spring feed. It is very essential 

 to have this spring feed right near the api- 

 ary if possible, as in the trying changeable 

 weather of the spring season many bees are 

 lost at a critical time when all are needed, if 

 they have to fly long distances to the alders, 

 pussy willows, etc., in search for early pol- 

 len and honey. If I had the choice of two 

 locations, in one of which there was abun- 

 dance of spring feed within half a mile of 

 the apiary, while the clover and other sum- 

 mer pasture was two or three times that 

 far oif, and the other one with abundance 

 of clover right near the yard, but the spring 

 feed scarce and a long distance away, I cer- 

 tainly should prefer the first one described, 

 every time. I have had, in the past, loca- 

 tions of both these kinds, and always the 

 ones with spring feed near by have given 

 best results. 



Having decided on the section wliere von 



want to have an apiary, the next thing is to 

 find a suitable spot to place the bees. Shel- 

 ter is very desirable; but unless it is one of 

 the natural kind I would just as soon have 

 none at all. In fact, while I like yards 

 sheltered, for more than one reason, yet 

 right near us I know of apiaries that have 

 wintered outside, right in the open, year 

 after year, and the loss has been but little 

 heavier than in more sheltered apiaries. 

 Apiaries sheltered too much, and not in 

 the right way, are like a two-edged sword 

 — ai)t to cut two ways. Bees may be en- 

 ticed outside by the sunshine, only to be 

 chilled to death by cold winds; Avhereas the 

 same hives out in the open would have the 

 cold air circulating around them so that 

 the bees would not leave at all in such 

 treacherous weather. In the past I have 

 been having most of my yard in orchards, 

 and in many ways these are about as de- 

 sirable locations as one can find. Objec- 

 tions are that snow usually drifts badly 

 among the trees ; and in many orchards the 

 bees are too close to dwellings, cultivated 

 fields, etc., and at some seasons they are 

 apt to make trouble for those who own the 

 property the bees are on. Of course I am 

 now speaking from the standpoint of out- 

 ai^iaries. I never like to have the bees give 

 any trouble if it can be avoided; and so 

 when starting a new yard or moving one of 

 these I now have, I am trying to have the 

 bees placed in an out-of-the-way position 

 wliere they will be no bother to any one, 

 and wliere I shall not be placing any de- 



A new location for one of J. L. Byer's outapiaries. Tlie yard is sheltered on three sides by a cedar swamp, 

 and the buildings break the force of the wind at the one open side. 



