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LAYING OUT AN APIARY. 

 The site for the hives should be as level as possible, for convenience of 

 taking appliances and combs to and fro. It should be laid down in grass, 

 and be kept closely cut, especially near the hives. The best arrangement 

 of the hives in every respect is in straight rows, with entrances facing the 

 north or north-east — never face them westward if it can possibly be avoided. 

 {See Plate V, model apiary, Ruakura Experimental Farm.) Occasionally 

 there is a departure from this form of arrangement, some preferring to 

 place theii hives in clusters of three or more, with their entrances 

 in difieient directions. I certainly do not approve of the latter method, 

 as it appears to me to be very inconvenient in several ways without any 

 compensating advantages. A glance at the extensive American apiaries 

 illustrated in the "ABC of Bee-culture " should convince one that the 

 straight-row system is adopted by the majority of bee-farmeis in that 

 country. 



A serious mistake is often made in placing hives too close together, as is 

 shown in Plate IV, "An Overcrowded Apiary." Fighting and robbing 

 among the bees is much more likely to take place under such conditions 

 than when the hives are a suitable distance apart. They should be at least 

 6 ft. apart in the rows, and the rows 8 ft. apart. In the Ruakura State 

 Apiary I have placed them 8 ft. apart from centre to centre in the rows, 

 and the rows 10 ft. from centre to centre, with the hives in each row oppo- 

 site the spaces in the rows in front and behind. There is thus ample space 

 to work at any hive without standing in the line of flight to or from any 

 other hive, and a lawn-mower or scythe can be used anywhere about the 

 apiary. The main portion of the Waerenga queen-rearing apiary is laid 

 out in the same manner (see Plate Va), but the nucleus hives (Plate Vb) 

 are dotted about irregularly, so that young queens can better locate their 

 own when returning from flying out. 



KEEPING THE HIVES FREE FROM GRASS. 

 Long grass and weeds immediately around the hives not only look 

 unsightly, but also form shelter for insects which find their way into them 

 in cold weather. Woodlice are disgusting insects which may often be 

 found in neglected hives by thousands in winter ; but by keeping the hives 

 clear of all growth neither these nor other insects will be troublesome. 



One of the readiest and cheapest methods for accomplishing this is to cut 

 a small shallow trench around each hive, 9 in. distant from it, and strew 

 salt over the ground within the trench. This kills the grass and weeds. 

 A good plan is to use a piece of 9 in. board for a guide for cutting the trench. 

 At the State apiaries it was found that 6 lb. of salt was sufficient for each 



