72 THE COTTAGE AND FARM BEE KEEI'ER. 



suitable place externally in which to locate my bees, necessity has led 

 me to make use of some spare windows in my cottage which are well 

 adapted to this purpose. Any window facing any quarter of the 

 heavens, and at any height, will answer the purpose almost equally well, 

 provided only the situation be well sheltered from high winds, or the 

 destructive influence of sudden gusts, or strong currents of air. My 

 own apiary labors under great disadvantages in many of these res- 

 pects; not only so, it stands within 100 yards of a broad and rapid 

 river, with an aspect, wholly unprotected, looking to the southwest, 

 whence the winds blow strongest and most frequently of any. In 

 spite of these drawbacks, there is not to be found a more thriving, or 

 profitable apiary in all the country round. I am obliged to be often 

 on the look out, however, and have frequently to confine my bees en- 

 tirely for days together, in rough and stormy weather. 'If the slides 

 be shut down in the early morning, before the bees stir, taking care at 

 the same time to open the ventilators by day, and the slides themselves 

 by night, the bee master may keep them shut up in most weathers, 

 (without much annoying his bees,) for forty-eight hours together. My 

 plan is, in doubtful weather, to confine them till the day declares itself; if 

 the wind be not too high, I wait a sunshiny moment, and set them 

 free. Of course, this treatment is pursued with most advantage in 

 the early spring ; as the population increases, it becomes more difficult 

 and hazardous, neither is the precaution so necessary. 



In favor of placing bees in such a locality, it may be observed that 

 these insects are naturally fond of, indeed, they seem to give a prefer- 

 ence to high situations, above all other habitats. In their wild state, 

 they will fix upon some tall and gigantic tree for their dwelling, and, 

 even after domestication, will not seldom prefer the roof of some house, 

 to any other locality. Several instances are on record of bees having 

 collected immense stores of honey in such places, doubtless owing to 

 the shelter afforded from the extremes of cold and heat, (and the boxes 

 must be well protected from the sun,) and the generally good ventila- 

 tion and dry atmosphere of places of this kind. 



This sort of apiary has the additional recommendation of economy — 

 indeed, from the very trifling outlay required, it may be considered 

 the cheapest of all methods of locating bee hives, whilst there is every 

 facility for the most leisurely and uninterrupted observation in all 



