328 miner's AMERICAN 



in consequence of the softness and weakness of the 

 combs, rendering them liable to break down. Bees 

 should never be removed at this season. In many parts 

 of Europe, the cottagers make a practice of transporting 

 bees from place to place, as the shepherd does his flock, 

 from pasture to pasture, to obtain a fresh supply of food. 

 The bees, in such cases, are in straw hives, which 

 are more easily transported than wooden ones. If hives 

 are to be removed to any distance within a mile, the 

 removal should take place before the 1st of May, if pos- 

 sible. If the distance be very short, they should not, 

 under any circumstances, be left longer than the early 

 part of April, as when their habits become once formed 

 in any particular situation, many will return to the same 

 place, when removed to a new situation within a mile. 



COMBS LIABLE TO MELT DOWN. 



During very warm weather, if bees are fully exposed 

 to the force of the rays of the sun, there is some danger 

 of combs melting. I never had any melt in the lower 

 sections of my hives, but I have in the supers. I gene- 

 rally protect every hive ; but in this case, I left one ex- 

 posed, when the sun was most intensely powerful, and 

 the loaded combs fell from their attachments in conse- 

 quence of the heat. 



DISABLED BEES. 



I ought to have mentioned in the chapter on swarm- 

 ing, that during the height of the breeding season, hun- 

 dreds of bees may be seen running to and fro upon the 



