Apiary Groifiids, 15S 



a small, neat, inexpensive house, in the centre of the apiaiy 

 grounds, is indispensable. This will serve in winter as a sho2> 

 for making hives, frames, etc. , and as a store-house for honey, 

 whUe in summer it will be used for extracting, transferring, 

 storing, bottling, etc. In building this, it will be well to con- 

 struct a frost-proof, thorougJdy drained, dark, and well- 

 ventUated cellar. To secure the thorough ventilation, pass a 

 tube, which may be made of tile, from near the bottom, 

 through the earth to the surface ; and another, from near the 

 bottom, to the chimney or stove-pipe above (see chapters 

 XVm and XIX). 



PEEPAEATION FOE EACH COLONY. 



VirgU was right in recommending shade tor each colony. 

 Bees are forced to cluster outside the hive, if the hives are 

 subjected to the full force of the sun's rays. By the intense 

 heat, the temperature inside becomes like that of an oven, and 

 the wonder is that they do not desert entirely. I have known 

 hives, thus unprotected, to be covered with bees, idling out- 

 side, when by simply shading the hives, all would go merjcily 

 to work. The combs, too, and foundation especially, are 

 liable, in unshaded hives, to melt and fall down, which is 

 very damaging to the bees, and very vexatious to the apiarist. 

 The remedy for all this is to always have the hives so situated 

 that they will be entirely shaded all through the heat of the 

 day. This might be done by constructing a shed or house, 

 but these are expensive and inconvenient, and, therefore, to 

 be discarded. 



If the apiarist has a convenient grove, this may be trimmed 

 high, so as not to be damp, and will fulfill every requirement. 

 So arrange the hives that while they are shaded through all the 

 heat of the day, they will receive the sun's rays early and late, 

 and thus the bees will work more hours. I always face my 

 hives to the east. If no grove is at command, the hives may 

 be placed on the north of a Concord grape-vine (Fig. 68), or 

 other vigorous variety, as thte apiarist may prefer. This should 

 be trained to a trellis, which may be made by setting two 

 posts, either of cedar or oak. Let these extend four or five 

 feet above the ground, and be three or four feet apart. Connect 

 them at intervals of eighteen inches with three galvanized 

 wires, the last one being at the top of the posts. Thus we can 



