COMMENCING BEE-KEEPING. 105 



of bees in 1877 to St. Mary Cray, a distance of three 

 to four miles, and in the morning he noticed that a 

 number of bees had returned. 



Taking the lesser distance — three miles — as the 

 correct measurement in a direct line, it is evident 

 that the radius of flight of those bees on their pre- 

 vious stands was at least one and a half miles. 

 Most bee-keepers of experience, however, agree 

 that crops one and a half to two miles away are 

 practically valueless, while the nearer they are the 

 greater the prospect of full supers. It is, therefore, a 

 question worth considering as to whether stocks should 

 not, as on the Nile and in other parts of the world, be 

 moved to those spots where they are likely to do the 

 greatest amount of work. By following the crops in 

 this way, each move being not less than two miles 

 away in a direct line, the honey returns are enor- 

 mously increased, thus proving not only the practic- 

 ability, but the advisability of moving bees " to 

 pastures new." , 



Moving Bees. 



The ordinary removal of stocks to fresh sites in the 

 same apiary should invariably take place in the depth 

 of winter, preferably in the midst of frosty weather, 

 when the bees have for some days been confined to 

 their hives. The old position should be changed in 

 appearance as much as possible, and to draw the 

 attention of the bees, when they leave the hives for 

 the first cleansing flight, to their new position a small 

 branch should be placed in the ground and made to 

 stand in the front of the entrance. The bees must 



