146 SPRING. 



must either break away, or suffer the penalty of iusect 

 justice, which is generally of the utmost severity. 



BAD POLICY TO RAISE THE HIVES. 



A great many apiarians raise their hives an inch 

 from the board early in spring. They seem to disre- 

 gard the chance it gives robbers to enter on every 

 side. It is like setting the door of your own house 

 open, to tempt the thief, and then complain of de- 

 pravity. 



Let it be understood, then, that all good stocks, 

 under ordinary circumstances, will take care of them-; 

 selves. Nature has provided means of defence,, with 

 instinct to direct its use. ■ Non-resistance may do for 

 highly cultivated intellect in man, but not here. 



INDICATIONS OF ROBBERS. 



"We will now notice the appearance about a weak 

 hive that makes no resistance, and show the result to 

 be a total loss of the stock, without timely interfer- 

 ence. .Each robber, when leaving the hive, instead of 

 flying in a direct line to its home, will turn its head 

 towards the hive to mark the spot, that it may know 

 where to return for another load, in the same manner 

 that they do when leaving their hive in the spring. 

 The first time the young bees leave home, they mark 

 their location, by the same process. A few of these 

 begin to hatch from the cells very early ; in all good 

 stocks, often before the weather is warm enough for 

 any to leave the hive. Consequently, it cannot be too 

 early for them at any time in spring. These young 



