MANAGING BEES. 51 



er edge of the hive as to give the bees free 

 entrance and egress all around the same du- 

 ring the moth season, or to raise the common 

 hive, by placing under it little blocks at each 

 corner, which produces nearly the same ef- 

 fect. But 1 know of but one rule, which is 

 an infallible one, to prevent their depredations, 

 and that is this : keep the combs well guard- 

 ed by bees. See Rule 10. 



Large hives, that never swarm, are never 

 destroyed by the moth, unless they lose their 

 Queen, melt down, or meet with some casu- 

 alty, out of the ordinary course of managing 

 them. They are not often in the least an- 

 noyed by them, unless there are bad joints, 

 cracks, or shakes, so as to afford some lurking 

 places for the worms. The reason for their 

 prosperous condjfon is obvious. The stock 

 of bees are so numerous that their combs are 

 all kept well guarded during the moth season, 

 so that no miller can enter and deposit her eggs. 



Hives made so small as to swarm, are lia- 

 ble to reduce their colonies so smaJl as to 

 leave combs unguarded, especially when they 



