RUSTIC BEE-SHEDS. 



47 



greater advocate for it than myself; but another thought 

 comes before us, they must be sheltered in the winter or 

 suffer loss. Then, if they are in straw hives and you place 

 (say) an ordinary pan-mug over them to shelter them from 

 rain, &c., you run the risk of finding both hives and bees 

 rotting from the moisture of the winter. If they are in a 

 shed open on all sides, with a free circulation of air, they 

 come out in the spring healthy and vigorous, and quite pre- 

 pared for the hard work of the honey-gathering season ; 

 but we have never yet found any hive healthy which was 

 closely shut up all the winter free from air or ventilation, 

 and after frost reeking with moisture. 



The annexed illustration is a plain rustic shed. It 

 placed at the corner of the garden, and covered neatly with 

 sedges or rushes, it will prove an ornament to any garden 

 or shrubbery. The one we have seen had a bench running 

 the whole length in the centre, made to hold five hives. 

 This is certainly more economical than placing them singly 

 on separate stands, and may be adopted at the will of the 

 apiarian. 



Other bee-farmers use plain wooden sheds covered in 

 on all sides. These harbour insects and mice, which will 

 sooner or later prove a sad pest ; and not only so, for the 

 bees we have kept in this way were never so healthy or so 

 profitable as when in the open shed. 



Our rustic bee-shed is open on all sides ; it should have 



RUSTIC EEE-SHED. 



three posts at the back but only two in the front, one at each 



