280 THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 



often placed where many bees perish by falling into the 

 dirt, or among the tall weeds and grass, where spiders 

 and toads find their choicest lurking-places. 



Covered Apiaries, unless built at great expense, afford 

 little or no protection against extreme heat or cold, and 

 much increase the risk of losing the queens. 



In the Summer, no place is so congenial to bees as the 

 shade of trees, if it is not too dense, or their branches so 

 low as to interfere with their flight. As the weather 

 becomes cool, they can easily be moved to any more 

 desirable Winter location. If colonies are moved in the 

 line of their flight, and a short distance at a time, no loss 

 of bees will be incurred ; but, if moved only a few yards, 

 all at once, many will often be lost. By a gradual pro- 

 cess, the hives in an Apiary may, in the Fall, be brought 

 into a narrow compass, so that they can be easily shel 

 tered from the bleak Winter winds. In the Spring, they 

 may be gradually returned to their old positions.* 



PBOCUKING BEES TO STOCK AH APIABY. 



The beginner will ordinarily find it best to stock his 

 Apiary with swarms of the current year, thus avoiding, 

 until he can prepare himself to meet them, the perplexi- 

 ties which often accompany either natural or artificial 

 swarming. If new swarms are purchased, unless they are 

 large and early, they may only prove a bill of expense. 

 If old stocks are purchased, such only should be selected 

 as are healthy and populous. If removed after the work- 

 ing season has begun, they should be brought from a 

 distance of at least two miles (p. 156). 



* By removing the strongest stocks in an Apiary the first day, and others not 

 so strong the next, and continuing the process until all were removed, I have safely 

 changed the location of my Apiary, when compelled to move my hees in the work- 

 ing season. On the removal of the last hive, but few bees returned to tho old 

 spot. The change, as thus conducted, strengthened the weaker stocks. 



