THE APIARY. 105 



cheap nnd simple ; but as profit is my object, I shall offer 

 no apology. I have thirty years experience to prove its 

 efficacy, and have no fears in recommending it. I make 

 stands in this way. For a box hive, a board about fifteen 

 inches wide is cut off two feet long ; a piece of durable 

 wood two by three inches, is nailed on each end. This 

 raises the board just three inches from the earth, and will 

 project in front of the hive some ten inches, making it ad- 

 mirably convenient for the bees to alight before entering 

 the hive, when the grass and weeds are kept down,, which 

 is but little trouble. A separate stand for each hive is 

 better than to have several on a bench together, as there 

 can then be no communication by the bees running to and 

 fro. Also, we are apt to give more room between them ; 

 and a board or plank will make more stands when cut in 

 pieces, than if left whole. 



I used what is termed a canal bottom board, until I 

 found that it did not pay expenses, hence I rejected.it, 

 and succeed just as well. It is generally recommended to 

 prevent robbing, and keep out the moth. It may. prevent 

 one hive in fifty from being robbed, but as for keeping out 

 the moth, it is about as good a contrivance in its favor, as 

 need be. I am aware that I differ from most apiarians,* in 

 placing the stand so near the earth ; less than two or three 

 feet between the bees and the earth, it is said, will not an- 

 swer any way. I shall not ui-ge the adoption of any rule 

 that I liave not tested by my own practice. The objec- 

 tion raised, is the dampness arising from the earth, but I 

 am unable to discover the least bad effect from this cause. 



DISADVANTAGE OF STANDING. TOO HIGH. 



Let US compare advantages and disadvantages a little 

 farther. When the bees approach a hive suspended, or 

 standing on a high bench, two or three feet from the earth, 

 towards evening or on a chilly afternoon— and we have 



