and its Economic Matiagement. 249 



frame hive, allowing only two or three frames at the front with 

 starters. I would never attempt such a pretence as this, and 

 could not myself work with so little space. I must have longer 

 hives and six or seven empty frames in front of the brood nest ; 

 or, in the case of ten-frame hives, another chamber having only 

 starters must be placed under the brood nest, as distinctly 

 pointed out in my Non-Swarming pamphlet, and now illus- 

 trated in the chapter on that subject. 



Bees winter best with plenty of room below the frames. 

 Many of my own stocks have been wintered with the lower 

 body under the stock chamber, as used for prevention of 

 swarming, with very satisfactory results. 



Chickens will be found very serviceable in the apiary, as 

 they destroy a large number of insects. Earwigs especially, 

 and sometimes ants, swarm about the hives, but though they 

 do no harm they are a great nuisance. Chickens turned 

 down as soon as they can take care of themselves, can soon be 

 taught to look in the right place for the pests, and will be on 

 hand when the hives are opened. 



With a quarter of an acre of borage, the seed from a 

 number of sunflowers, and a good grass run, in all rather more 

 than an acre, I have had about a dozen fowls come along fit 

 for the table, with no other feeding, except a little corn for a 

 week or ten days before killing. 



None of the 'birds have been actually stung, though some- 

 times attacked. At first they simply pick off the bee ; but 

 finding their enemy returns to the charge, they soon learn how 

 to settle it, and .then invariably give the bee a sound grip 

 before it can leave the ground. 



