THE APIAEY. 279 



CHAPTER XV. 



tHE APIARY — ^PEOCtTRmG HBES TO STOCK IT — ^TEANSFEB- 

 KENG BEES FEOJI COJIMON TO MOTABLE-COarB HIVES. 



An intimate acquaintance with the honey resources of 

 the country is highly important to those desirous of 

 engaging largely in hee-culture. While, in some localities, 

 bees will accumulate large stores, in others, only a rtule or 

 two distant, they may yield but a small profit.* 



Wherever the Apiary is established, great pains should 

 be taken to protect the bees against high winds.f Their 

 hives should be placed where they will not be annoyed 

 by foot passengers or cattle, and should never be very 

 near places where sweaty horses must stand or pass. If 

 managed on the swarming plan, it is very desirable that 

 they should be in full sight of the rooms most occupied, 

 or at least where the sound of their swarming will be 

 easily heard. 



In the jSTorthern and Middle States, the hives should 

 have a south-eastern exposure, to givftthe bees the benefit 

 of the sun when it mil be most conducive to their welfare. 

 By using my movable stands (Plate V., Pig. 16), the 

 hives may be made to face in any desired direction. The 

 plot occupied by the Apiary should be in grass, mowed 

 frequently, and kept free from weeds. Hives are too 



* *■ While Haber resided at Cour, and afterwards at Vivai. his bees suffered so 

 much from scanty pasturage, that he conld only preserve them by feeding, although 

 stocks that were but two miles from him were, in each case, storing their hives 

 abundantly." — ^Bevait, 



t By tacking a piece of muslin to the alighting-board and the projecting parts of 

 the stiind (Plate V., Fig. 16), the bees, as they slack up, will alight on the cloth — 

 to escape being bruised or blown away — and thus will easily gain their hives. In 

 windy sitaati'^ns, thousands of bees (p. 186) may be thus saved. 



