BEE-KEEPING IN LONDON. 219 



pany would not have been objected to. Such selfish 

 policy does not, however, accord with the social instinct 

 of bees, and these soon •informed their companions of 

 the good fortune provided for them in an archipelago of 

 sugar islands. Day by day the swarms of these unin- 

 vited viators increased, until all legitimate customers 

 were beaten off; and the old dame faad to see, not only 

 her hope of gain destroyed, but her stock of "goodies" 

 sensibly diminishing by the thefts of these brigands of 

 the air. She could not, or dare not attempt to, drive 

 the intruders away, so made diligent inquiry as to .where 

 the robbers were harboured. Having traced them to 

 our establishment in Regent Street, she came to implore 

 of us to move the bees if possible, or she would have 

 to move her stall, and so lose her " connection "in the 

 "toffee "and "rock" trade. Wishing not to hinder 

 the poor woman in gaining her livelihood, we decided 

 on removing our bees iiito the country. 



It is difficult to assign an exact limit to the distance 

 that ibees will go in search of honey-j^elding blossoms. 

 It has been proved by various experiments that they will 

 fly, say, five or six miles, if the supplies are scanty within 

 a shorter radius ; but bees well .understand that first of 

 all economies, the saving of time, and if they can find 

 forage near at hand, tiiey prefer it. Hence, other 

 things being equal, the quantity of honey stored will be 

 in* proportion to the contiguity of good pasturage. In 

 this way it is that the systematic removal of hives, as 



