OR, MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 



469 



may be desirable. Several excellent bee-keepers are now using- 

 them with success, and great satisfaction. The old-time 

 objection, of bees collecting jn houses while working with 

 them, is now removed, as are the bees by aid of bee-escapes. 

 If the bee-escapes are put on the hives the night before, the 

 extracting or comb honey supers will be practically free of 

 bees in the morning, and all work can be done in the house 

 with very slight annoyance from the presence of the bees. As 

 we all know, cross colonies lose their pugnacity if placed in a 

 house-apiary. They seem cowed by the enclosure. The walls 



Fig. 257. 



House- Apiary on Wheels.— From A. I. Root Co. 



Of course, should be double, and filled in with shavings, and 

 the hives should be the same as are used out-of-doors. A mov- 

 able house-apiary, on wheels (Fig. 257), has been used, and in 

 some cases may be desirable. 



BEE-HOUSES. 



As a good and convenient bee-house is very desirable in 

 every apiary of any considerable size, I will give a few hints 

 in reference to its construction. 



First, I should have a goodceUar under the house, entirely 

 under ground so as certainly to be frost-proof, mouse and rat 

 proof, thoroughly grouted, and ventilated as already described. 



