22 THE APIARY. 
i 
that she generally sees several generations of her subjects pass away 
before she quits the stage herself. Huber was of opinion that her life 
extended in many instances to a period of from four to five years; 
though he speaks positively only of its extending to two years. 
In numerous instances, when she has been marked so as to be iden- 
tified, she has been traced from swarm to swarm for a period of three 
or four years. 
The life of the drone does not exceed four or five months, if left to 
die a natural death ; but their lives are generally cut off by violence 
of the workers at a much shorter period than this. . 
CHAPTER VIII. 
THE APIARY. 
Mucu more depends upon the location of the apiary than most bee- 
keepers appear to imagine, and even among those who havea preference, 
there are different opinions on the subject. A majority, however, I 
am inclined to think, are in favor of a southern aspect; but I think 
there are no good reasons for such conclusions, other things being 
equal. I always prefer an eastern aspect, or one bearing a little south 
of east, as this gives the bees the influence of the sun in the morning, or 
fore part of the day, when it is beneficial to them, and during the middle 
of the day it will not be as oppressive as when the hives are fronting the 
south. Whatever the aspect may be, the hives should never be exposed 
to the rays of the sun during the middle of the day, excepting in April 
and May. The apiary should be protected on the north and west by 
buildings, or trees, or a high fence or shrubbery, to afford the bees a 
protection from wind and rain, when they are driven home during 
the season by sudden showers accompanied by high winds. The hives, 
however, should not stand so near the trees or buildings as to be ex- 
posed to their drippings, or so near a fence as to prevent a passage be- 
tween the hives and fence. It is also desirable that the apiary be lo- 
cated near the residence of the apiarian, where it will be easy of ac- 
cess, and in view, or near, the kitchen garden or yard. It however 
