1 86 



THE APIARY. 



is most important at the close of the gathering season, 

 in order that the bee-keeper may determine whether he 

 ought to give his bees artificial food to enable them to 

 live through the dreary winter. A knowledge of the 

 numerical strength of the colony is also useful, in 

 enabling the bee-keeper to decide which hives will 

 be benefited by being joined together, on the plan 



explained in the articles 

 on "Fumigation" and 

 " Driving." 



A hive can very easily 

 be weighed, if a . Salter's 

 Spring Balance be sus- 

 pended near the apiary. 

 The hive, having a strap 

 or cord passed under and 

 over it, crossing at right 

 angles on the top, may be 

 hooked on to the balance, 

 so that the weight will be 

 indicated on the dial. • 



The annexed engraving 

 represents a tripod stand, 

 with a weighing-machine 

 of the above-named con- 

 struction, to which a hive 

 with a super is attached. 

 Such an arrangement will be found convenient for 



