THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



29 



bell does not affect them in the 

 least, though their sense of hearing 

 is not at all deficient as they can 

 in the hive make each other under- 

 stand through the different kinds of 

 humming. The concussion of the 

 ■atmosphere has little effect on them, 

 but so far as their dwelling, or the 

 ground upon which it stands, is 

 concerned, they are extremely sen- 

 sitive to this and the tread of a 

 man alongside of a hive is felt by 

 them ; therefore colonies are not 

 vrell placed if near a paved street 

 over which many wagons pass 

 especiall}^ in winter, and another 

 disadvantage is the dust in the sum- 

 mer when blowing towards the hive. 

 Therefore all places should be avoid- 

 ed for an apiary where one must 

 expect strong concussions, viz. : 

 where the platform touches a shed, 

 where through threshing of grain 

 in the winter the bees would be 

 disturbed and irritated and caused 

 to eat more. The same thing hap- 

 pens if the platform touches a smith's 

 shop where the blows and jars can 

 be communicated to the platform. 

 At the same time if the platform is 

 isolated it is sufficient that the 

 sound itself has no impression on 

 the bees. 



High trees about the bees are 

 well if they do not hinder the 

 morning sun, but the noon sun is 

 weakening and at that time the bees 

 require shade, and they have the 

 advantage that the swallows do not 

 fly so much under them ; but if one 

 does not increase colonies by divid- 

 ing and lets them swarm, high trees 

 are sometimes very inconvenient, 



as the swarms like to attach them- 

 selves to them, and they are pro- 

 cured with difficulty and danger. 

 Low trees, shrubs, and grape vines, 

 etc., simplify procuring swarms and 

 make the surroundings pleasant. 



I would particularly advise 

 lovers of bees to plant quince trees 

 in front of their hives. I have fre- 

 quently remarked that swarms like 

 to attach themselves to these and 

 prefer these to other fruit trees. 

 The natural cause may be this, that 

 these trees are dense with branches 

 and foliage, consequently give the 

 clustering bees shelter and protec- 

 tion from the hot sun, which they 

 look for and sometimes find neces- 

 sary to procure. Then, too, perhaps 

 many bees belonging to the hive 

 may be accustomed to fly to the 

 quince tree as during its bloom 

 the}^ find much nectar in its flowers ; 

 it blooms almost every year and 

 generally yields much honey, 

 making the road to the tree a well 

 known one. The bees easil}^ follow 

 it, and the first ones show the queen 

 and remainder of the swarm the 

 way to it and thus cause their clus- 

 tering there. These trees (the 

 quince) are otherwise the best and 

 most serviceable before a colony in 

 the garden as partly they do not 

 grow high and the swarms are more 

 easily secured and partly because 

 they can be pruned and cut to any 

 shape so as not to injure the growth 

 of vegetables under them by much 

 shade. The fruit, too, in the fall, 

 can be of economic and medicinal 

 use, and is excellent for food be- 

 sides being a refreshing and invig- 

 orating drink. The juice is healing 



