4 
Situation of the Hive. 
It is a frequent practice to set the bee-hives in a back 
garden, behind a hedge, or in some other out-of-the-way place, 
where the bees are usually out of view. In such a situation, 
the bees have unpleasant associations connected with the 
visits of the bee-keeper, and they are likely to attack him 
on sight. If placed near a dwelling-house, where people are 
frequently passing, the bees soon get used to the appearance of 
human beings, and come to regard them as harmless animals. 
This proximity to dwellings has the additional advantage 
that swarms are not so likely to be lost, for someone in or 
about the house is almost sure to hear or see them. 
The hives must be so placed that the bee-keeper can get in 
behind them, in order that he may be out of the way of the 
bees coming from and going to the fields. On this account, 
a hive should not be set with its back close to a wall, or be 
-placed in one of those low sheds built originally to shelter 
straw skeps. -~Yhe shed provided excellent shelter for the 
straw hives, and did not interfere with manipulation of these, 
since a skep has to be turned right over in any case. On 
the other hand, a modern hive must be moved as little as 
possible, and the bees should be able to use it freely, even 
while the bee-keeper is handling the combs. 
Protection for the Bee-keeper. 
Beginners are frequently so nervous at first that they are 
glad to wear both veil and gloves. The latter can be obtained 
of material that is quite sting-proof, and with long sleeves 
attached to the gloves (Figure L.), the bee-keeper is quite safe 
from stings on the hands. 
He will soon discover, how- 
ever, that the gloves hamper 
his movements very much, 
and deprive him of that 
delicacy of touch and deftness in manipulation that is so 
important in handling bees. His mere clumsiness will irritate 
the bees, and make them less easy to control. To meet this 
difficulty, and to help in eliminating the gloves, Messrs, 
Figur i 7 
