§ III.] PASTURAGE FOR BEES. 293 



.home than if on a hill^ it must not be "exposed to 

 'noisome smells, nor to the din of men or cattle ; " it 

 should be near a shallow running stream with pebbles 

 for the bees to alight on, but not near deep water with 

 steep banks'; and the trees near should be low, and 

 ■convenient for manipulation in swarming. 



The vicinity of sugar warehouses, or other places of 

 temptation of the kind, is certain to prove prejudicial if 

 not fatal to an apiary. The beeish instinctive love for 

 .sweets, like all other good things, has its bad side, and 

 here we see it developed into a propensity to acquire on 

 the shortest and easiest though most suicidal method. 

 Mr. Langstroth tells us that he once furnished a sweet- 

 -shop will gauze windows and doors, when the bees 

 -" alighted on the wire by thousands, fairly squealing with 

 ■vexation," and in desperation they descended the 

 ■chimney, which had to be stopped in like manner. 



§ III. PASTURAGE FOR BEES. ' 



" Bees work for man ; and yet they never bruise 

 Their master's fiower, but leave it, having done, 

 As fair as ever, and as fit for use." 



Apiarians generally agree in the opinion that very little 

 can be done in the way of providing any special forage 

 for bees. Yet bee-fanciers are always interested in 

 observing which are the flowers that the bees prefer ; 

 and there are certain well-established conclusions as to 

 .the kind of districts and seasons which are the likeliest 



