Sg FIFTY YteARS AMONG THE BEES 



i-egiilar intervals, a bee might by mistake go into the wrong 

 hive ; but if a colony of bees is in the habit, as mine sometimes 

 are in the spring, of going into the south end of their entrance, 

 they will never make the mistake of entering at the north end, 

 as you will quickly see if you plug up, alternately, the north 

 and south ends of the entrance. When the north end is closed 

 it does not affect the bees at all, but close the south end and 

 dire consternation follows. To the bees the pair of hives is 

 much the same as a single hive, and they will not make the mis- 

 take of entering the wrong end. 



Fig. 31 — Foundation leith splint supports. 



A space of 2 feet or so is left between one pair of hives 

 and the next pair, so as to leave plenty of room for a seat. 



GROUPS OF rOUE HIVES. 



In two of the apiaries there is still further economy of 

 room by placing a second row close to the first, the hives stand- 

 ing back to back. That, you will see, makes the hives in groups 

 of four. I do not know of any arrangement that will allow a 

 larger amount of hi\es to stand on a given surface. The dif- 

 ference in the amount of travel in the course of a year in such 



