292 miner's ameeican 



grape-vines suitable to cluster on artificial 



clustering bushes, etc. 



A grape-vine seems to be a particular favorite for 

 bees to cluster on. I had several large vines near my 

 apiary, on Long Island, and I have frequently had every 

 swarm during a season, cluster on them. When the 

 leaves are large enough to afford shade, they are inclined 

 to cluster on them more, than when the vines are par- 

 tially bare. They often cluster in peach, apricot, cherry 

 and apple trees ; and not unfrequently on currant bushes. 

 Where no small trees exist of the size of ordinary peach 

 trees, some kind of small tree should be set out, and I 

 know of none better than the peach. I have tried arti- 

 ficial clustering shrubs or bushes with the most perfect 

 success. In the spring of 1848, I removed my apiary 

 to a place where not a tree or shrub existed of a suitable 

 size. I took a dozen of the poles used for sustaining 

 dahlias, about six feet long, and to the end of each I 

 fastened a green cedar bush about one foot in diameter, 

 and eighteen inches long; being the tops of small cedar 

 trees and shrubs found in any quantity, in the woods. 

 I drove down these poles in different places around the 

 apiary, some two rods apart ; making the bushes stand 

 from four to six feet high. When the swarms issued, 

 they selected one of these bushes. I had twenty-six 

 issues, and every one clustered in the same way ; and 

 seemed to like them better than trees, as they afford the 

 best security against the bees falling. They generally 

 clustered around the centre of the bush, and when they 



