BOOK IX. IV. 7-v. 2 



of the poorest quality is the woodland honey which 

 comes from dirty feeding-grounds and is produced 

 from broom-trees and strawberry-trees, and the 

 farm-house honey which comes from vegetables. Now 

 that I have described the situation of the feeding- 

 grounds and also the various kinds of food, I will next 

 speak of the arrangement for receiving and housing 

 the swarm. 



V. A position must be chosen for the bees facing On the best 

 the sun at midday in winter, far from the noise and the an"apia^!°'^ 

 assemblage of men and beasts and neither hot nor 

 cold, for bees are troubled by both these conditions. 

 It should be situated in the bottom of a valley, that 

 the empty bees, when they go forth to feed, may be 

 able more easily to fly up to the higher ground, and 

 also, when they have collected what they require, 

 they may fly with their burden on a down-hill course 

 without any difficulty. 



If the situation of the farm permits, we ought not 

 to hesitate to join the apiary to a building and 

 surround it with a wall, but it must be on the side of 

 the house which is free from the foul odours which 

 come from the latrines, the dunghill and the bath- 

 room. If, however, this position has drawbacks, but 2 

 yet the worst disadvantages are not all present, even 

 under these conditions it will be more expedient for 

 the apiary to be under the master's eye. If, how- 

 ever, everything is unfavourable, at all events a 

 valley should be pitched upon close at hand, so that 

 the owner may be able to go down rather often 

 and visit it without grave inconvenience ; for in 

 bee-keeping perfect honesty is necessary, and since 

 this is very rare, it is better secured by the inter- 

 vention of the master. Not only is an overseer who 



439 



