470 Bee-keeping for Small Farmers. 



perfect insect), and the time occupied in each stage, can be 

 acquired by any intelligent man who devotes an hour's reading 

 ,tb the subject. Roughly speaking, the metamorphosis of the 

 . worker-bee may be stated in a few words, as follows : — The egg 

 : hatches in three days ; the larva is then nursed and fed for about 

 < >five days, when feeding ceases, and the cell containing the larva 

 or grub (now in the nymph stage) is sealed or capped over, and 

 ; it remains so till the twenty-first day, when it emerges a perfect 

 bee. Drones mature in twenty-four, and queens in from 

 fourteen to seventeen days. The duration of the worker-bee's 

 life is measured less by length of days than by the amount of 

 labour done. In the busy gathering time of summer the insect 

 is worn out and dies after about six weeks of toil ; but bees born 

 in autumn, after the gathering season is over, will live more than 

 as many months. In fact they form the field-foragers in early 

 spring of the following year. 



In closing this part of the subject, and prior to dealing with 

 the practical work of an apiary, it must be understood that a 

 good text-book on bee-keeping is indispensable. The scientific 

 side of apiculture, though full of interest to those whose taste 

 or inclination lies that way, may be put aside, except so far as 

 acquiring a brief but sufficient knowledge of the few diseases 

 bees are subject to. The most suitable work for the purpose 

 rwe know of is The British Bee-Keepers' Guide Book, by T. W. 

 Gowan. This little manual, costing is. 6d., contains everything 

 the bee-keeper requires to know. It is written in simple concise 

 language, with no superfluous verbiage, and illustrated with 

 numerous engravings explanatory of the text, so that its 

 teachings can be understood and carried out by anyone 

 .possessing ordinary intelligence. 



Fre-supposing, then, that the " conditions" already named as 

 being " indispensable " are favourable, that the few hours of pre- 

 liminary reading prescribed have been gone through, and that 

 our farmer friend has resolved upon making a start with bees, a 

 suitable part of his little farmstead must be selected whereon 

 to locate the hives. It should be as far away from public 

 highways as possible, and, if convenient, in a quiet place, 

 sheltered from high winds, where the bees are not likely to be 

 interfered with by men or animals. The hives must be securely 



