126 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



May 



almost any cultivation it is important to 

 have the ground nicely prepared if we wish 

 to get large yields of either hay or honey. 

 With good mellow ground, finely pulverized, 

 we may get a growth of three feet in height, 

 and a profusion highly colored blossoms that 

 will astonish one who has never seen such a 

 sight ; especially when the field is roaring 

 with the hum of the busy Italians. As a 

 lieavy growth is liable to lodge badly diuring 

 wet weather, it may be well to sow a sprink- 

 ling of timothy seed with it. If put in ear- 

 ly, it may on good soil, produce considerable 

 bloom the first season, but not much is to be 

 expected imtil the second year when it is at 

 its height. It will give a fair crop the third 

 year, but after that, if we would keep up a 

 yield of honey, it must be sown again. The 

 seed has for a number of years sold readily, 

 for about $12.00 per bushel, and the average 

 yield of seed, is about four bushels per acre. 

 It retails for about 25 cents per poiuid, and 

 60 lbs. is reckoned as a bushel. The honey 

 is equal to any in the world. See clover. 



APIARIST. One who keeps bees, or a 

 bee-keeper ; and the place where he keeps 

 his bees, is called an 



AFIA'RIT. As you can not well aspire 

 to the former until you are possessed of the 

 latter, we will proceed to start an apiary. 



LOCATION, 



There is scarcely a sx>ot on the surface of 

 the earth where mankind find sustenance 

 that will not to some extent support bees, 

 although they may do much better in some 

 localities than others. A few years ago, it 

 was thought that only localities especially 

 favored, would give large honey crops, but 

 since the introduction of the Italians, and 

 the new methods of management, we are 

 each year astonished to hear of great yields 

 here and there, and from almost eveiy quar- 

 ter of the globe. It will certainly pay to try 

 a hive or two of bees no matter where you 

 may be located. 



Bees are kept with much profit, even in 

 the heart of some of our largest cities. In 

 this case the apiary is usually located on the 

 roof of the building, that the bees may be 

 less likely to frighten nervous people, and 

 those unacquainted with their habits. Such 

 an apiary would be established like those on 

 the ground in all essential points. 



Select a spot near tlie dwelliiig, and if pos- 

 sible have it where you will V)s likely to cast 

 your eye every time you pass out or in. Al- 

 though tribes can scarcely be said to be ob- 

 jectionable we believe we would prefer a 

 clear piece of ground, that we might 



supply the shade to our liking. It will be 

 an excellent investment of your tima or 

 money to have the plat nicely cleaned of all 

 rubbish, and the ground leveled as far as 

 may be ; if you can get it in the condition 

 of a brick yard all the better ; a gentle slope 

 would be desirable, and although a slope to 

 the south and east has been thought best, 

 we are not sure that it makes any particular 

 difference. As we wish the ground to dry 

 quickly after showers, it will be an excellent 

 plan to have it all underdr:) ined. If^ you 

 can not well do this, make open ditches 

 around the outside, or wherever water seems 

 disposed to stand. The ground should be a 

 little higher, for this very re;* son, and you 

 should be careful that no low j 'laces are left 

 where the water may collect and stand 

 around or near the hives. 



Bees ascend with difficulty when heavily 

 laden, and on this accoimt we would have 

 the apiary located in a valley, rather than 

 on a hill that they may rise as tliey go in 

 quest of stores, and then have a downward 

 slope as they come in with their loads. 

 They will also suifer less from the effects of 

 heavy winds, when given a home on rather 

 low ground. 



WIND brp:aks. 



A tight board fence should suiTOund the 

 plat, at least on the north and west sides, to 

 keep off cold winds, and if it can be made 

 strong enough to stand tlie prevailing winds 

 it will be all the better to have it as much as 

 8 feet high. We would by all means advise 

 having some kind of an enclosure that will 

 exclude poultry, dogs, etc. A flock of ''en- 

 terprising" hens will make more disorder in 

 a few hours in a well kept apiary than the 

 owner can restore in a half day. We wish 

 to have the ground so clean that we can get 

 down on our knees in front of any hive at 

 any time. This we can not do in any enclo- 

 sure where poultry have free access. The 

 high strong fence will also do much to dis- 

 courage thieves from attempting to pillage 

 the honey, for climbing into such an enclo- 

 sure is quite risky business when it adjoins 

 a dwelling. If a part of the dwelling could 

 open directly into the apiary, it would be a 

 fine thing on many accoimts. 



THE VINEYARD APIARY. 



Get two i>osts 6 feet long and three inches 

 square; these must be of some durable wood, 

 white oak for instance. If you can afford 

 the trouble and expense we really would 

 prefer that you have them planed and paint- 

 ed ; at aiiy rate do not expect your apiary 

 ever to be any thing you may be proud of if 



