STARTING AN APIARY. 299 



comb, that it can never flourish, as the bees refuse to pull 

 down, and build over any of their old combs. All this can 

 be easily remedied by the use of the movable comb hive. 



Procuring Bees to start an ApiARy. 



A person ignorant of bees, must depend in a very great 

 measure, on the honesty of those from whom he purchases 

 them. Many stocks are not worth accepting as a gift: like 

 a horse or cow, incurably diseased, they will only prove a 

 bill of vexatious expense. If an inexperienced person 

 wishes to commence bee-keeping, I advise him, by all 

 means, to purchase a new swarm of bees. It ought to be a 

 large and early one. Second swarms and all late and small 

 first swarms, ought never to be purchased by one who has 

 no experience in Apiarian pursuits. They are very apt, in 

 such hands, to prove a failure. If all bee-keepers, were of 

 that exemplary class of whom the Country Curate speaks, 

 (see p. 33,) it would be perfectly safe to order a swarm of 

 any one keeping a stock of bees. This however, is so far 

 from being true, that some offer for sale, old stocks which 

 are worthless, or impose on the ignorant, small first 

 swarms, and second and even third swarms, as prime swarms 

 worth the very highest market price. If the novice pur- 

 chases an old stock, he will have the perplexities of swarm- 

 ing, &c., the first season, and before he has obtained any 

 experience. As it may, however, be sometimes advisable 

 that this should be done, unless he makes his purchase of a 

 man known to be honest, he should select his stock himself, 

 at a period of the day when the bees, in early Spring, are 

 busily engaged in plying their labors. He should purchase 

 a colony which is very actively engaged in carrying in bee- 

 bread, and which, from the large number going in and out. 



