AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



115 



sweet clover, boneset, spearmint, horse- 

 mint, heart's-ease. Tliese seeds should 

 be sown in all nooks and corners, and, 

 In fact, all undesirable places, and by 

 the roadside, and if we could encourage 

 the growth of dandelions more in waste 

 places, it would be very beneficial to the 

 bees, as the dandelion produces both 

 honey and pollen. 



The catnip is a fine bee-plant and I 

 should protect its growth by all means, 

 rather than to destroy it. I believe it 

 is in bloom longer than most other 

 plants. 



Now, in closing this part of my essay, 

 I will remark that one will have a good 

 location for bees with the above advan- 

 tages close by, or within a radius of 2)^ 

 or B miles of the apiary. 



It is not a long job to lay out a bee 

 yard, after the plan is formed. Some 

 people think there can be more corn 

 grown in crooked rows than in straight 

 ones, but we will not attempt to argue 

 the question, knowing that the straight 

 ones look the best at least, and that is 

 my idea — to lay the yard out in long, 

 straight rows, and not have the rows 

 less than 16 feet apart. This gives 

 ample room to pass from one end of the 

 yard to the other, and not come in con- 

 tact with so many bees. 



Then, with our hives five feet apart in 

 the row, it makes it very convenient to 

 run the wheelbarrow with a load of 

 honey from any part of the yard to the 

 bee-house, without going all the way 

 directly in front of a row of hives. 



Now, as we have the apiary laid out 

 in straight rows, we will devise some 

 variety of stands that the hives may 

 rest on, instead of on or near the 

 cold, damp ground, where numerous 

 insects, and especially the ants, are 

 trying to make inroads into their homes, 

 keeping a good force of bees from other 

 work to guard their hives. 



I should advise that the stands for 

 hives to rest on, be at least 10 or 12 

 inches above the surface of the ground, 

 and each stand separate and alone, and 

 I am sure you will approve of it. It is 

 so much more convenient to work with 

 and around it, without thumping it 

 occasionally with the foot, and causing, 

 sometimes-, a warm commotion around us. 



The nature and instinct of the honey- 

 bees plainly show to us that they are not 

 in their element down close to the 

 ground, for if they were when they 

 swarm and go to the woods, they would 

 as quickly go into a hollow log as a tree ; 

 and still further, they would alight on 

 the grass or ground as quickly as a tree 

 or bush. 



Now, I think it is of very great im- 

 portance—that is, if we expect our bees 

 to do well — for us to study their instincts 

 and habits, and supply them, as far as 

 we possibly can, with what they most 

 desire, in order to make them happy and 

 contented with their home. 



I advocate good stands for hives to 

 rest on for the following reasons : 



1. The insects do not bother them 

 half as much. 



2. The bees will get out earlier in the 

 morning. 



3. I believe the bees get more honey. 



4. It is their nature to be up off of the 

 ground. 



5. Hives dry off much quicker after 

 storms. 



6. They are much handier to work 

 with at all times. 



T. Giving a free circulation of air 

 around the hive. 



If there is any one here that thinks it 

 makes no difference where and how a 

 bee-hive rests, let them try an experi- 

 ment, and place one hive on the ground, 

 and another on a good stand, one foot 

 high, and give them the same chance 

 for one month, say, June, and I think 

 there will not be many but will adopt 

 the stands. I will say this, that all of 

 us who have our hives 10 inches or one 

 foot from the ground, should have a 

 board of some kind to reach from the 

 hive to the ground in a slanting position, 

 for heavily laden bees to crawl up on, 

 when they miss the alighting-board, 

 which very often happens. 



In closing this part of the subject, I 

 will say, that it will be much easier to 

 show a small model of the stand than to 

 describe it in writing, so, therefore, 

 please look it over and profit thereby. 



Now, after the location and laying 

 out into rows, and spacing the distance 

 between the hives, or stands for them to 

 rest on, the next question would be, 

 which is the best way for our hives to 

 face ? This is a pretty hard one to 

 answer, for we all differ so much. I have 

 seen them face almost all points of the 

 compass, with the exception of the 

 north, and they might get used to that. 

 I have mine face a trifle south of west, 

 but it has been for my own convenience, 

 and I do not like it, therefore, I am 

 going to make a change ; one that I am 

 fully convinced will be a great benefit to 

 the bees, and also a financial benefit to 

 their owner. 



The early morning sun has a good 

 deal to do with the bees, and the sooner 

 the sun strikes the front of 'the hive so 

 much the better. It will warm up the 

 Inmates to activity, and they will un- 



