FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 31 



as would afford no place of concealment for the fly or its 

 eggs.' For these purposes, therefore, let the plank be 

 planed smooth, its cracks all sloped, and then either paint- 

 ed, or white-washed with lime ; and then let the rim be 

 pared off to an edge, so that it can afford no covering 

 underneath, between the edge and the plank. Let the 

 edge be also painted, and its cracks sloped. 



With these precautions, and with the further improve- 

 ments, suggested and put in practice by Dr. Low, which 

 we shall now mention, we are fully convinced that the rav- 

 ages of this, and every other creeping insect, upon the hive, 

 may be effectually prevented. 



His method is to suspend the hive, by a cord fastened in 

 the top, and have the plank forming the floor moveable up 

 and down. During cold weather, the plank is brought up 

 close to the rim, to keep the Bees sufficiently warm ; but 

 on the approach of Spring, or when the weather has be- 

 come suitably moderated, the plank is let down about four 

 inches, and kept in that situation during the warm or 

 growing season. At particular cold spells, during the first 

 of the Spring, or latter end of the Fail, the floor, no doubt, 

 ought to be raised up, until the return of warmer weather; 

 but it should only be kept in this position while the comfort 

 of the Bees requires it. 



Two further advantages are mentioned by Dr. L. as be- 

 ing gained by this treatment. The hive has always suffi- 

 cient fresh air within, so as to save the labor of some of 

 the Bees, which are aloted in every close hive to perform 

 the business of ventilation ; and, the bottom of the hive be- 

 ing entirely open, the Bees are not impeded by each other, 

 in coming in or going out. 



Dr. L. also, found one of his hives infested with ants, 

 which were lodged between boards forming ^the bottom. 

 Most probably these insects make their incifrsions into the 

 hives at night ; as he says the Bees quickly routed them, 

 as soon as their hidingpiuce was discovered. 



Some years since, when the caterpillar was making great 

 ravages in Newjersey, a Writer, in a Morristown Paper, 

 recommended raising the hives, and strewing fine salt un- 

 der the rims, which he had tried for two years with com- 

 plete success. We have been informed, however, that 

 others have not met with the same success in making this 

 trial. 



Another formidable enemy of the Bee is mentioned by 

 some European Writers, which is the insect called the 

 Sphinx dtrofios. It is said to prevail against the working 

 Bees, by making a clacking kind noise, which, for a while, 

 it would seem, deprives them of the power of resistance; 

 for it is said the Queen also possesses the power of making 



