12 



spa.r. l„.t«r,.,, fniiiirs , ,„ May ls(, l,r will -rt ono in Hrst-las^ .■ litim,. He should 



1„M unlv. Iiur. loH,r«ill Irani as murli in tlir first yar fi'niii , air cnlony as from 



twiaily.'uliil,. h hrlris ihrni inn lli.-nisrlvrs Ins linanrial loss will lie at a ininimnm. 

 Tin- nian win, .aiiiinl takr .-ate nf one rolony aii.l its increasi- in one season is lurky to 

 Irani Ins malnlily at small cost. After the Krst season, only siieli money as the bees 

 have artinillv eanieil sluaibl he imesteil in inerease. A liltk- expei ienee ^vill soon show 

 that every rolony on the slaii.l at the heeiiining of winter will represent an aetual cash 

 outlay from SS to SlO. 



The iiovire shoul.l not he tempted to huy a eolony housed in a soap-box or similar 

 makeshift ; in fart.sueh a eonibinatioii means endless annoyanee to anyone not an 

 ex|.ert : hut he should see that he ep(s a modern hi ve in good |ihysieal condition, free 

 from cracks and loose joiiils. 



Till-: Hi\i-; to eiioosE. 



There have been faslnims in hives, but the bee-keepers in British ('oliimbia are 

 almost niiauinious in prefeiriuL; what is known as the Langstroth hive, with eight 

 frames. There are other hives in use ; a few men on tlie Mainland use the IJritish 

 standard, while on \'aiieou\er Island there still linger examples of the (Jallu]) hixe, 

 w hieh is about 14 inches sipiare and decji. 'I'here are also in use a few hives about li df 

 an inch longer than the regular Langstroth. Modern bee-keeping demands that al| 

 frames be interchangeable, hence the beginner will lie wise to start with a standard size 

 and so axoid future annoyance. A factory-made eiglit-frame Langstroth hive is usually 

 of J-inch lumher, and is 2(1 inehes long, l.SJ inches wide, and 9i inches deep, outside 

 measurements. If home-made, it will jirobably be of y-incli lumlier ; hence the len.eth 

 and width will be a ijuarter of an inch less than the sizes given abo\'e. It' is, howcx'cr, 

 the inside dimensions that count. These are : Length, 18|- inches ; width, ]'2l inches ; 

 depith, '.1^ inches. 



When possible, it is v\isdom to have the bargain include the deliveiy of the hi\e 

 and placing it in position, as this foresight will in all likelihood evade many sting.s, and 

 insure the colony being jjlaced in a suit;able location — that is, one sheltered from cold 

 v\"inds. 



Cost of Fji;.st Season. 



The cost of a \eiiture in bee-keeping should not be much over S20. made up thus : — 



Colony $\u 00 



Suioktr I 00 



Bee-veil (I 75 



Bee-gloves () 40 



Sl-2 I.-> 



New hive for swarms, completi^ .^ 3 50 



Supers, say 5 Olj 



8 50 



Total S2l) (m 



The abo\-e prices are not the lowest possible, but a fair average. If uncontrolled 

 swarming lie iiermitled, more new hives may liave to be liought, running up (he total 

 cost to not more than -S-'iO. 



LoC'ATIOX. 



The location of the bees in the yard is important. The hive shoidd be sheltered 

 from cold winds in the spring months; hence, in most regions it shoukl be shielded 

 on the north by a fence, clump of shrubs, house, or barn. On the other hand, in the 

 summer months there must be free circulation of air all round ; therefore, the hive must 

 be at least (5 feet from the fence or building. The position of the entrance is not really 

 important, but it generally faces the south, so that the suirs rays m spring v^■ill send 



