1 SWEATING' BEES 147 



into the hives in competition with native industry, 

 either by crossing with Cyprian, Carniolan, or Syrian 

 queens, or by importing the foreigners in a swarm. 

 Carniolans are pronounced by Mr Simmins to be 

 ' the bees for beginners.' They have all the energy 

 of the most industrious mountain races, have learnt 

 the necessity of making honey when the sun shines, 

 and are in all respects model creatures, with a capacity 

 for working to order beyond the usual limits even 

 of bee energy. Some idea of the amount of labour 

 exacted from a colony propagated by an ideal queen 

 bee, may be gathered from the area of flowering 

 plants sown to keep them busy. Seventy-five acres 

 of ground, planted with white clover, borage, or 

 sanfoin, will occupy one hundred hives profitably 

 for the three months of June, July and August. 

 This the bees are expected to work in addition to 

 the flowers which grow naturally in a rural district. 

 To prevent loitering, the crops are planted near the 

 hives. The return of honey due from the bees is 

 calculated as accurately as was the return due from 

 farm stock under the ancient manor system. Clover 

 and sanfoin should produce 10 Ib. of honey per 

 acre each fine day ; and as they flower twice, and 

 remain in full blossom for a week at a time, the 

 seventy-five acres, if properly worked by the bees, 

 are expected to yield more than 10,000 Ib. of honey. 



