BEES, BEK-HIVES, AND BEE CULTURE. 115 



of SO excellent a practice. A few years since, many strong opinions 

 were expressed in favour of a northern aspect for hives. The chief 

 reason given for those opinions, though very plausible, appears to 

 us to be a very partial and inadequate one. It was said that, when 

 the hives face the south, the bees may, like the incautious 

 swallow in the fable, be tempted to fly abroad in the transient 

 winter sunshine, and then perish in the freezing atmosphere when a 

 passing cloud intervenes. But it is a very easy matter, if considered 

 needful, to screen the entrance by fixing up matting so as to inter- 

 cept the rays of the sun. At our own apiary we make no alteration 

 in winter, under the belief that the bees will take care of themselves, 

 and they seldom venture out when the weather is unsuitable. 



With hives exposed in the open garden, it is a good practice to 

 wind hay-bands round them in frosty weather, as such a protection 

 enables the bees to resist the cold. 



When a thaw occurs, everything, both in and out of doors, has 

 a great deal of dampness about it. The combs of a hive are not 

 exempt from this, so that it is advisable to have slight upward 

 ventilation in winter. Holes the size of a pin's head allow of the 

 escape of a good deal of bad air, which is generated by the 

 exhalations of the bees, as well as by the dampness before referred 

 to. These holes being small, do not create sufficient draft through 

 the hives to be pernicious; if closed up by propolis, are readily 

 reopened with a pin. With wooden hives in winter, a bell glass is 

 often found to be useful ; it should be placed over the hole in the 

 crown-board, with a zinc trough to receive the condensed moisture. 



In summer bees do much towards ventilating their own stock- 

 hives. The observant apiarian wiU not fail to remark how, on a 

 warm day, several of the little creatures will stand at the entrance 

 with their abdomens slightly raised, and their twinkling wings in 

 rapid motion, producing a current of air iiiwards ; while another 

 set are engaged in like manner, driving the bad air out, so that a 

 supply of pure oxygen is conveyed to the crowded inmates. In 

 this fanning operation their wings vibrate with such rapidity, that 

 their shape is as indistinct as are the spokes of a wheel when 

 revolving in rapid centrifugal motion. 



This important office entails great physical exertion on the 

 part of the bees, and they relieve each other in detachments. 



Some bee-keepers find an adapting board convenient for placing 



I 2 



