BEE-KEEPING 277 



fill up the hive until it contains as many 

 frames as it will hold, usually ten. 



It would be well for a beginner to secure 

 the assistance of an expert bee-keeper in 

 hiving the first swarm. Much trouble is 

 saved afterwards by having everything right 

 to start with, and although books are useful, 

 they can never be so good as a practical 

 demonstration on the subject. 



It is the greatest mistake for a beginner 

 to buy stocks of bees in old-fashioned hives, 

 perhaps of two or three different patterns. 

 It does not matter how cheap they are, 

 they are dear at any price. One usually 

 buys far more than one wants in the shape of 

 disease and worry in working them. Second- 

 hand stocks of bees should only be bought 

 by thoroughly experienced bee-keepers. 



BRIEF OUTLINE OF WORK IN THE APIARY 

 THROUGH THE YEAR 



The hives should not be disturbed in any January 

 way during the month. If wintering has 



