HOW FAK WILL BEES GO FOR HONEY? 75 



pastures within, one mUe and a half of the old place, they 

 return thither, forgetting, as it were, where they came 

 from laxt I am therefore of opinion that few bees go - 

 fiom home more than two mUes in search of food. 



How desirable, then, to have bees as near as possible to 

 the pastures on which they work ! Short journeys are 

 not only a saving of labour to bees, but also a protection 

 of their lives. Wlien compelled to fly far for honey they 

 are often caught by showers and destroyed. In warm 

 genial weather, with a superabundance of honey in the 

 flowers, bees loill have it. They will even go beyond the 

 bounds of safety for it. Gentle showers do not stop out- 

 door labours. Black clouds often send them home with 

 all speed. But they are frequently caught, and die on 

 the altar of their industry. Hives containing 8 lb. 

 and 10 lb. of bees have lost two-thirds of their rants 

 by sudden showers in warm honey weather. Bees driven 

 to the earth by showers do not die at once. If the fol- 

 lowing day be warm and fair, the rays of the sun some- 

 times reanimates these storm-beaten creatures, enabling 

 them to return to their hives with joy and gladness. 



