THE APIARY. 137 



rtffair, and so it is ; yet small matters must be attended 

 to if we succeed ; " a small leak will sink a ship," A 

 grain of wheat is a small' matter; 'tis only in the ag- 

 gregate that its importance is manifest. The bee is 

 small, the load of honey broiight homSby it is still 

 less, and the quantity secreted in the nectary of each 

 flower, yet more minute. The patient bee visits each, 

 and obtains but a tiny morsel ; by perseverance a load 

 is obtained, and deposited in the hive; it is only by 

 the accumulation of such loads that we find an object 

 worthy our notice : here is a lesson ; look to little 

 things, and the manner in which they are multiplied, 

 and preserved. It is much better to save our bees 

 than waste them, and wait for others to be raised ; 

 " a penny saved is worth two-pence earned." If a 

 stock is lost by small means, a corresponding effort is 

 only necessary to save it. This" trifling care is some- 

 times neglected through indolence. But I hope for 

 better things generally ; I am willing to believe it is 

 thorough ignorance, not knowing what kind of care 

 is necessary — how, when, and where to bestow it. 

 This is what now appears to be my duty to tell. You 

 will now sufiiciently understand the cause of loss on 

 this point ; therefore, let it be a rule to have all ready 

 in spring, before the bees leave their hives-^the stands, 

 bee-house, etc.-, and not change them. 



ECONOMY. 



If we keep bees for ornament, it would be well to 

 build a bee-house, paint the hives, &c. ; but as I ex- 

 pect the majority of readers will be interested in the 



