15 



If the hives are protected the bees can take exercise every sunny 

 day during the winter months ; and this exercise is very essential to 

 their well-being, as it is only in flight that bees can properly rid them- 

 selves of their excreta. Where sufficient shelter is not provided numbers 

 of bees are lost through being be'aten down by cold winds and rendered 

 unable to return to their hives. 



High trees near an apiary are sometimes objectionable, as they 

 afford an opportunity for swarms to settle out of reach, and also 

 create considerable draught that has a tendency to make the bees vicious. 

 For a rapid-growing shelter-hedge giant privet and tagasaste (commonly 

 called " tree-lucerne ") are to be recommended, where cattle cannot 

 get within reach of them. Tagasaste grows very rapidly ; but it can 

 be considered suitable only for a temporary hedge, as it is likely to 

 become a prey to the borer. Still, it is worth planting at the same 

 time as the more permanent hedge-plants are put in, as it affords shelter 



Fig. 7. — A Well Arranged and Sheltered Apiary. 



Photo, F. A. Jacobsen.'] 



very rapidly and abundance of bee-forage at times when it is most 

 valuable. If a double hedge of tagasaste and giant privet is planted 

 the rows should be 6 ft. apart. In any case, plant plenty of tagasaste 

 in waste places for bee-forage. 



Where the surrounding country is hilly the apiary should be 

 situated in the lowest part, if possible, so long as it is not swampy or 

 wet, in order that the bees when coming home loaded will have to 

 fly down instead of upward. 



All large apiaries should be estabhshed a good distance from a 

 public thoroughfare, especially from a main road where there is horse 

 traffic, otherwise there are pretty certain to be complaints sooner or 

 later, and everything should be done to avoid giving offence. From 

 100 to, 200 yards from a main road should be ample, but much 

 depends on the locality, and the safe distance can be best judged on 

 on the spot. 



