500 HOW TO MAKE THE FARM PAY. 



As soou as the bees begin to fly freely in the spring we pre- 

 pare one or two boxes, sixteen by twenty inches, and six inches 

 deep. Put a good layer of clean straw in the bottom, spread 

 the flour on the straw, and set the boxes in some quiet, sunny 

 place, in or near the apiary. To start the bees to work, we put 

 n few drops of honey or sugar syrup on a comb in each box ; 

 once started, tliey will keep at it until the blossoms appear. 

 The bees quickly "get the hang of the operation," and it is 

 amusing to see them collecting the flour — the boxes being 

 nearly black with bees, and the whole air resounding with their " 

 joyous hum. They moisten the flour with honey from their 

 .stomachs and take it up with their jaws and front legs ; then, 

 hovering in the air over the box, transfer it to the baskets on 

 their hind legs, then away to the hive. We had them thus at 

 work (Itahans) one bright, still day this month, when the 

 thermometer was at twenty-six degrees ! To-day (March 12th) 

 was constantly showery, yet, with the covers over the boxes 

 propped open to admit them, they have carried in fully ten 

 pounds of flour, working until it was dark. This suggests 

 putting the boxes in a shed opening to the south, if such a one 

 is at hand, where they can work under cover. Our only fear has 

 sometimes been that they might carry in too much flour, but 

 the combs show no especial accumulation of it, and it is evident 

 that they use it almost as fast as gathered. 



" Wheat flour and oat meal will do, if rye is not to be had. 

 See that your bees have enough honey left over to last them 

 until blossoming time. A little feeding will bring forward ten 

 thousand workers to assist in the honey harvest, as soon as the 

 first blo.ssoms open. The hives should be protected from the 

 high winds as much as possible, and yet be open on two sides 

 at least to the direct rays of the sun. We should recommend 

 that the bees be placed where they are to stand for the summer, 



