106 THE APIAEY. 



many such in spring — even if there is not much wind, they 

 are very apt to miss the hive and fall to the ground, so 

 benumbed with cold, as to be unable to rise again, and by 

 the next morning are hfeless. On the other hand, if the 

 hive is near the earth, with a board as described, there is 

 no possibility of their alighting under it, and if they should 

 fail to reach it, and fall to the ground, they can always 

 creep long after they are too cold to fly, and are thus 

 often able to enter the hive, when they can not use their 

 wings. In this way, enough may be saved in one spring, 

 from a few hives, to make a good swarm. Belonging to 

 different hives, the loss is not perceived, yet as much profit 

 might be realized from them, as if they formed an indi- 

 vidual swarm. To such as will have them away from the 

 earth, I would say, do adopt some plan to save this por- 

 tion of your best and most willing servants. Have an 

 alighting board project at least one foot in front of the 

 hive, or a board long enough to reach from the bottom of 

 the hive to the ground, ujion which they may crawl ujj to 

 the hive. Do you want an inducement ? Examine care- 

 fully the earth about your hives, towards sunset, some 

 fair but windy day in April, when it is chilly towards 

 night, and you will be astonislied at the number that per- 

 ish. Most of them will be loaded with pollen, proving 

 them martyrs to their own industry and your neglioence. 

 When I see a bench three feet high, and no wider than 

 the bottom of the hive, and no entrance for the bees, 

 except at the bottom, and as many hives crowded on it as 

 it will hold, I no longer wonder that " bee-keeping is all 

 in luckj" the wonder is how they keep them at all. Yet 

 it proves that, with proper management, bee-keeping is 

 not so precarious, after all. 



