24 HOW TO KEEP BEES 



When we had many bees we placed a rough board 

 over the ground in the immediate front of the hive; 

 when we had only a few swarms, it was one of our 

 joys to get on our knees on cold days, when only a 

 few adventurous workers were going into the field, 

 and with shears cut the grass close to the ground; 

 and this period spent on our knees was not penance, 

 but joy. However, it might well get to be penance 

 in a large apiary. 



Having found the place for the apiary, the next 

 thought is of hive stands. Many bee-keepers use a 

 hive that has a combination bottom board and hive 

 stand ; this has an inclined plane up which the loaded 

 bees may climb if they strike the ground. This is 

 a device which also saves the lives of many bees in 

 cool weather, when they would scarcely be able, 

 through numbness, to reach the entrance of the hive 

 otherwise. However, there are other bee stands 

 which hold two or three hives, which are very com- 

 fortable in height for the work of the bee-keeper. 

 But it is always well to remember that the opening 

 of a hive should be low down, as it is easier for the 

 weary wings to let the honey-weighted bee down 

 than to lift her up to the doorway. We use a simple 

 platform, with blocks under the corners, so that there 

 may be circulation of air beneath, and extending 

 about a foot out in front of the hive, thus serving as 

 an alighting board. 



The arrangement of the hives in the apiary is a 

 subject which will pay for thought. When begin- 

 ning, this is easy enough, as they may be arranged 



