ADVANCED BEE CULTURE. 47 



Nearly level' ground is preferable in an apiary. If it slopes 

 gently to the south or east, so much the better. It should never be 

 in such a location that the water will stand upon the ground. 



I have tried placing the honey house in the center of the apiary, 

 and having the hives in long double rows that radiated from the honey 

 house as the spokes in a wheel radiate from the hub. In each double 

 row a space large enough for a wheel barrow is left between the 

 hives, and the entrances of the hives are turned away from the path 

 left for the operator and his wheel barrow. So far as reducing the 

 labor of going to and from the hives is concerned, this arrangement 

 is excellent, but it has the quite serious objection that only part of 

 the apiary can be seen at one glance from the honey house. In 

 watching for swarms it is necessary to look in four different direc- 

 tions in order to ascertain if a swarm is out. When the house is at 

 one side of the yard, the whole apiary can be taken in at a glance. 

 Other things being equal, the south side of the apiary is preferable 

 for the house. In looking for swarms the bee-keeper does not look 

 towards the sun, but has the clear northern sky for a back ground, 

 while the shady side of the building, which will be naturally sought 

 by the tired bee-keeper as the best spot in which to take a breathing 

 spell, is towards the apiary. 



Most bee-keepers are in favor of having the building two stories 

 high, using the upper story as a store-room for hives and fixtures, 

 the lower story for work shop and honey room, the latter being par- 

 titioned off by itself, and the cellar under the building for wintering 

 the bees. The usual mistake in making such buildings is in not 

 having them large enough. The honey room ought to be located in 

 a southern corner of the building, and the walls made of some 

 non-conductor of heat. Some even paint the side of the building a 

 dark color where it comes over the honey room, in order that as 

 much as possible of the sun's heat may be absorbed. The idea is 

 that the honey must be kept as warm as possible. If there is any 

 unsealed or unripe honey, this high temperature causes evaporation 

 and improvement. By keeping such a room warm with a stove in 

 winter, comb honey has been kept over until another year, and 

 actually improved by the keeping. 



But, to return to the arrangement of hives. When the honey 

 house is at one side of the apiary, the hives may still be arranged 

 upon the radiating plan, by having the rows radiate from the honey 

 house door, thus forming one-half of a large wheel, instead of the 

 whole of a smaller one, as in the case of having the honey house 

 in the center. When the radiating rows are very long, they become 

 far apart at the outer ends, or else very close together at the inner 



