100 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



locality ; it should be at some distance from ponds 

 or lakes, or large streams of water, as heavy chilling 

 winds fatigue the bees on their return from the fields, 

 and if they once alight on the water they will never 

 rise again, whilst if they should settle on any other 

 substance they still have an opportunity to reach 

 home. If the water is a few rods distant, this diffi- 

 culty will be obviated to some extent. 



If a new position should be selected near the old 

 one, and it is decided to remove the bees thereto, it 

 should be done as early in the spring as possible, be- 

 fore they have marked their location, and got their 

 course well established ; otherwise many will return 

 to the old stand and be lost. 



NO DANGER IF BEES ARE MOVED A DISTANCE OF A MILE. 



If bees are moved to the distance of a mile or 

 more, it can be done safely at any time most con- 

 venient. I prefer moving bees in the spring, soon 

 after they have begun to work, and before they be- 

 come very strong; at this time they have but little 

 honey, and the combs are less liable to break down. 

 Bees should never be moved but a few rods, or even 

 a few feet, after they have marked their location in 

 the spring. When they first go forth, or when they 

 have been removed from a distance and set down in 

 a new place, they will fly out, but instead of going 

 directly away from the hive they will keep their 

 heads toward it, until they rise above, and first de- 

 scribe small and then larger circles, until every ob- 

 ject near at hand is noted ; after this they pass out 



