BEE CULTURE. 29 
but the best time to begin an apiary is in April or May. 
Only strong colonies should be purchased, unless nuclei colo- 
nies are desired in the spring to build up into strong ones by 
the fall. 
If the distance is less than half a mile, they should be 
removed late in the fall, or the purchaser may lose heavily by 
the bees going back to their old location. Only a few days 
since, we heard of a man buying a few colonies of bees of 
his neighbor ; and, to his surprise, only the young bees, brood 
and Queen remained, after a few days—the old ones having 
gone back to their former location, and either died in trying 
to find their old home or united with other colonies. 
It is necessary, however, for their health that shortly after 
completing their journey they should have one or two fine 
days on which they can go out and relieve themselves. The 
disturbance created by transport causes every bee to fill itself 
with honey, and the condition thereby induced is unfavorable 
to lengthened confinement. We can always calculate on a 
fine day occurring after a short interval, in the fall—but one 
suitable for bee flight may not happen in winter till after the 
lapse of several weeks. If bees eat freely, and are constrained 
by an inclement atmosphere to remain long within their hives, 
evil consequences follow. This is what sometimes causes 
destruction to colonies moved in winter. 
WHAT KIND OF BEES TO GET. 
Some prefer to purchase black bees in box hives, and then 
transfer them to movable frame hives in order to get expe- 
rience. In that case, they should be populous colonies with 
the comb yellow or brown. Then the honey received will 
help to pay for the cost of transferring. 
The best satisfaction may be obtained by purchasing strong 
Italian colonics in the spring. Such will, doubtless, in a few 
seasons, pay for themselves, thus proving the cheapest in the 
end, though a little more outlay is required at first. One 
such colony is worth two of the former. 
To examine a BOX HIVE, incline it to one side, looking 
from the bottom up, between the combs. By using a smoker, 
the bees may be driven back, and one may discover if it has 
