BEE-KEEPING IN HOT CLIMATES. 93 



materially increase their respective incomes, but also help to 

 develop what should be a great export industry. Eoul brood — 

 as great a scourge to bee-keepers as phylloxera is to wine- 

 farmers — ^is at present unknown in South Africa, and it would 

 doubtless need but little pressure from the farmers to induce 

 the Government to prohibit by legislation the importation of 

 queens and bees from other countries except under the most 

 drastic quarantine regulations, and thus insure the country 

 against the introduction of this devastating plague. 



Ants Must be Guarded Against. 



In nearly all hot climates ants are a great source of 

 annoyance to the bee-keeper. They will often attack strong 

 stocks in great force, while it is no uncommon thing to see 

 them entirely destroy a weak nucleus in a couple of hours. 

 Fortunately they will not swim. 



In localities where they are troublesome all hives should, 

 therefore, be stood on legs, about 10 inches or a foot long, and 

 1| inches square, nailed to the floor boards and stands. 

 When attacked by arts, each leg must be stood in a round 

 tin filled with water or paraffin oil. Iron shoes (fig. 45), 



Fig. 45. Iron shoes for screwing to the base of hive legs. 



intended to be screwed to the feet of the hive legs, and the 

 cups to be filled with water or paraffin oil, may be had from 

 Messrs. Lee & Sons, of Highbury, London; Mr. George 

 Eose, of Great Charlotte Street, Liverpool; or from Mr. 

 Taylor, of Welwyn, Herts. These are very useful when 

 waging war against ants in England, but for hot countries 

 the cups are generally too small, the great heat evaporating 

 the contents so very quickly. 



