FLOATING APIARIES. 809 
ing bees on boats, which were floated up and down the Nile 
to take advantage of the different crops of honey at different 
points. 
It would even appear that the Greeks in the time of Colu- 
mella transported their hives to Egypt by sea, ‘‘ the sea- 
son of blossoms being later than in Greece; for after the 
month of September there is no pasture in Achaia for bees, 
whilst in Egypt flowers are in full bloom even after that 
time, owing to the receding of the high waters of the Nile.” 
He relates a laughable story about one of these floating 
Apiaries. One hive having been upset by accident on a 
boat, the enraged bees attacked the mariners unexpectedly, 
and forced them to jump into the river and swim to the 
shore, which likely, was not far distant, nor did they dare 
return, until they had provided themselves with asupply of 
smoke-producing ingredients. 
592. There is a certain amount of fascinating romance 
connected with the idea of a floating Apiary, following the 
blossoms, on the waters of the great Mississippi, or of some 
of its tributaries. An attempt of this sort was made ona 
large scale, a few years ago, by a Chicago firm. It was a 
total failure, but we are inclined to think that the failure 
was due more to the lack of practical knowledge in bee- 
keeping, on the part of the managers, than to any other 
cause. 
593. Transportation of bees from a location where 
blossoms are scarce to a good field, and returning them 
after the crop, is sometimes attended with fair success. 
Some Apiarists, located in places where the June crop alone 
can be depended upon, make it a practice to transport their 
hives to Fall pasturage every Summer. We, ourselves, have 
taken 120 hives of bees, about eighteen miles, to the Missis- 
sippi river bottoms, in August, 1880, when the drouth had 
destroyed all hopes of a Fall harvest on the hills. The 
high waters of the Mississippi, which had receded a few 
