bee-keeper's manual. 235 



a dozen or more strong families are in a single apiary, 

 the usual hum drowns the extra noise of swarming. 

 Any gentleman keeping this insect, should for the space 

 of about three weeks, charge his gardener to be on the 

 looli out. The season wh'en swarms are to be most ex 

 pected, is from the 20th of May to the 10th of June, and 

 during this period, if the apiary be not near the kitchen 

 door where the servants will notice swarms, a little at- 

 tention on the part of the gardener is quite sufficient. 



NO WALLS OR BUILDINGS TO IMPEDE THE FLIGHT OF BEES. 



When bees sally out to the fields, they depart at an 

 angle of about forty degrees with the plane of the 

 horizen ; and no wall, or other obstruction, should im- 

 pede their free passage at such an angle. It matters not 

 what obstruction may be in the rear of the hives, pro- 

 vided, that no barrier exist in front. 



VALLEYS MOST SUITABLE FOR APIARIES. 



If one were to have his choice of just such a location 

 as he might elect, he should select a broad valley, with 

 gently-sloping sides, extending a mile or more. The 

 sides of such valley should be composed of rich mead- 

 ows and pasture lands ; and as little as may be under the 

 plow. Here and there should a tract of woodland inter- 

 vene, and ample orchards dot the landscape ; and above 

 all, the white clover should be seen spreading its snow- 

 white mantle in wild exuberance and profusion, beneath 

 the feet of the herds that rove over the fertile fields, 

 this would be a paradise for bees ; yet such a paradise 



