ESCAPES 179 
not'tend to economy of time or labor. If the beginner who 
expects his business to grow will plan his honey house so that 
additions are easily built on, he will be wise. 
Floor.—A cement floor is very desirable, as it is much easier 
to make the building proof against rats and mice. Neither 
should be tolerated in the honey house, as they are the source of 
great annoyance and damage. Mice will destroy many dollars 
worth of extracting combs, unless they are stored beyond the 
reach of the rodents. A cement floor also makes a better foun- 
dation for fast-running machinery. 
Doors and Windows.—The windows should be tightly 
screened to keep out flies and bees, but the doors are better 
without screens. If the doors are screened, they will be left 
open when the extracting is going on, and large numbers of bees 
are likely to collect on the screens in an effort to get in. Every 
time the'screen is opened a few of them will dodge in, with the 
result that a constantly increasing number are flying about, which 
is annoying to the bee-keeper and bad for the bees. If only the 
windows are screened, the doors will be kept closed excepting 
when necessary to pass in or out, and the bees collecting on the 
outside will gather at the windows where they will be unable to 
enter. 
Escapes.—Bees that are carried into the honey house will 
naturally fly to the windows in an effort to escape. At the top 
of every window should be provided an escape which will permit 
them to get out, but which will turn those on the outside which 
may try to get in. 
A good method is to place strips of lath under the wire screen, 
thus holding them out a quarter of an inch from the building. 
If these strips extend about six or eight inches above the top of 
the window, and the screen extends as far, the space under the 
screen may be left open at the top. The bees on the inside will 
walk up and out, while those outside will not go much above the 
window opening and will not find their way in. 
Another method is to leave several wrinkles in the screen 
