THE APIARY. 101 



in straight lines ; hence, if they are moved but a 

 short distance, they pass out without any precau- 

 tion, and the surrounding objects being familiar, they 

 almost invariably return to the old stand. If they 

 find their hive gone, they will fly about in a disconso- 

 late manner, until the} T perish, unless attracted by the 

 sound of some other stock of bees close at hand. 



KIND OF STANDS. 



I have used several kinds of stands, at different 

 times, and at various heights from the ground. In 

 California I used stands made as follows: procure a 

 board twenty inches long and from sixteen to eight- 

 een inches wide; get four pieces of scantling, one 

 foot long and two inches square ; cut two pieces in 

 lengths to correspond with the width of the board, 

 two inches wide, one inch thick; nail each of these 

 strips on two of the pieces of scantling intended for 

 the feet of the stool, so that the edge or side of the 

 strip is flush with the top, the board resting on it 

 and at the same time on the tops of the scantling ; 

 nail it firmly. The end of the board should be flush 

 with the side of this cross strip, w T hich brings a leg 

 directl}- under each corner of the board, and makes 

 a very nice stool. The ground should be made level, 

 so that the hives will stand plumb. This kind of 

 stool will do very well here ; the only objection would 

 be where bees are wintered in them, the frost would 

 heave them up ; and when a thaw occurs, the stool 

 will settle down farther on one side than on the 

 other, which might cause the hive to tip over; this 

 9* 



