THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



vicinity of the apiaiy, except in 

 case of an emergency it should be 

 done veiy early, say in the latter 

 part of January or early in Febru- 

 ary ; because even though they 

 have flown but twice in the warm 

 sunshine they mark their location, 

 and if moved late the change must 

 be accompanied by loss, as the bees 

 either attempt to enter some other 

 hive near by and are largely de- 

 stroyed beside creating much dis- 

 turbance, or else return to the old 

 stand and perish. 



Indeed I have noticed that many 

 bees upon their first flight after a 

 winter's confinement, returned to 

 their last season's location which 

 they had not forgotten. 



If the new location is a distant 

 one or even an hour distant the 

 change in location can be made 

 without danger at any time of the 

 year.' The bees then mark their 

 new homes at once, fiying about the 

 hive on the first day in a great cir- 

 cle until they have become perfectly 

 familiar with their location, after 

 which they never forget it ;or if they 

 should err in finding it, on account 

 of others being near by, they at 

 once recognize the strange scent of 

 the hive and return to their own. 



REGARDING THE PURCHASE OF BEES. 



In purchasing strange bees with 

 the intention of establishing an a- 

 piary,one must be particularly care- 

 ful, when he cannot obtain them 

 in his immediate vicinity, not to 

 select them from a location which 

 is warmer or where the advantages 

 as regards honey-gathering, etc., 

 are greater than those of the posi- 



tion which they are to occupy. As 

 sheep, cattle and other animals do 

 far better when taken from a poor 

 to a better locality, than if they 

 are changed from a good pasture 

 and warmer climate to an inferior 

 pasture and more severe atmos- 

 phere, so do the bees thrive far 

 better if taken from a cold to a 

 warmer location and where honey 

 plants are more abundant. For, as 

 small and apparently insignificant 

 as this little insect is, its body and 

 its whole nature become hardened 

 or tender depending upon surround- 

 ing conditions ; and I have often 

 found that bees in rather a severe 

 and trying atmosphere have flown 

 out and gathered stores when those 

 from a warmer climate did not 

 show themselves. 



One should select, as much as 

 possible, young colonies, which 

 can be known by the whiteness and 

 tenderness of the combs. Young 

 colonies are to be preferred not 

 alone for their combs, but also for 

 their greater energy and industry. 



One should purchase from those 

 who care for their bees properly, 

 and who do not experiment with 

 and doctor them, but keep them 

 clean. He should choose, too, 

 colonies that will probably swarm 

 early. The colonies to be pur- 

 chased should be well stocked with 

 bees and weighty as this is a most 

 essential feature. The heaviest 

 colonies are good for nothing if 

 they are not well stocked with bees 

 and brood, for if the cells are large- 

 ly filled with honey, the queen is 

 confined to only a few cells in which 

 early brood may be reared, and in 



