THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
13 
strange queens for the purpose of destroying 
them ; but in most instances when they ball 
their own queen, it is for protection. In the 
first case cited above, there were probably 
strange or robber bees entering the hive, and 
the queen was surrounded for protection. In 
the second case, there can be little doubt that 
the stock, weak from foul-brood, had been 
attacked by robber bees for the honey, and 
the queen was simply hailed by her own bees 
to protect her. We had a case last year, 
where a queen, confined in a cage in a strong 
hive, escaped, and in the evening the old 
queen was found encased, evidently to protect 
her from any attack of the escaped queen. — 
Ed.] 
Ertracts from ^foreign Journals. 
OUTLINES OF BEEKEEPING FOE 
BEGINNERS. 
From British Bee Journal. 
I. — Where Bees mat be Kept, and who is 
Suited to Keep Them. 
1. Bees can be kept in any place where 
there is a small piece of garden, and fields, 
meadows, or heath, within easy reach, more 
especially near orchards and fruit gardens, or 
where clover, sainfoin, mustard, rape, and 
buckwheat are cultivated. 
2. The best spot to select for placing the 
hives is in a garden not far from the house, 
where they will be sheltered from wind and 
free from disturbance by strangers, and out 
of the way of domestic animals. It is very- 
important if such a sheltered place cannot be 
found, to plant a hedge or other wind-guard 
on the northern side of the hives ; and if there 
are a few fruit trees about, so as to shelter the 
bees from the fierce rays of a summer sun, it 
would be an advantage. 
3. Most persons can keep bees if they have 
sufficient time to spare during summer, when 
most of the work has to be done. Even the 
cottager, who is at work from morning to night, 
will be able to devote a little leisure time to 
this pursuit, w-hich will add to his income in 
an agreeable manner. Any one who is suffi- 
ciently vigorous and strong, and can still lift 
from fifty to sixty pounds in weight, can walk 
without assistance, and has good eyes, sharp 
enough to distinguish a bee's egg at the bottom 
of a cell, is able to keep bees. 
i. The object of keeping bees is generally 
either pleasure or profit. If they are kept for 
pleasure, it is better to have only two or three 
hives , but if profit lie the object, the beekeeper 
should possess at least ten or a dozen hives. 
In either case not more hives should be kept 
than can be properly attended to, for one hive 
well looked after will make a better return 
tlmn a dozen that are neglected. 
5. There are some districts where bee-pas- 
turage is so scarce that the bees, even in the 
best seasons, cannot procure the necessary 
stores to keep them through the winter. These 
are not suitable districts for keeping bees. 
6. Places, exposed to the wind, or on the 
borders of wide rivers and lakes, where there 
are many manufactories, such as breweries 
and sugar refineries, which allure the bees, 
who then meet with certain death, are also 
not suitable. 
7. Those who suffer so severely from a sting 
as to be obliged to call in a doctor, or take to 
their beds, or who have not .sufficient courage 
to bear calmly an occasional sting, or who will 
not. attend to their bees themselves, and are not 
able to make their hives, or have not got the 
means to procure them, or will not, if needed, 
feed their bees when they are iu want, had 
better not undertake beekeeping. 
II. — How to Commence BEEKEErixo. 
1. The beginner should never make a start 
on a large scale. He had better commence 
with one or two hives, and increase as he gets 
experience, not forgetting that there is a great 
deal to learn — although not more than anyone 
with ordinary intelligence can manage— before 
he can expect to be a successful beekeeper. 
2. The best time to commence is in the 
spring, and it can be either by the purchase 
of a swarm, or a stock of bees in a skep or a 
wooden hive. If the beekeeper decide on the 
purchase of a hive, he should secure this from 
the nearest beekeeper of his neighborhood in 
the beginning of April. If he is not able to 
afford the cost of such a hive, he will have to 
begin with a swarm, which he should secure 
in May or the beginning of June. 
3. If he has had no previous experience ill 
keeping bees, it would be better for him to 
consult, and get the help of, the county expert, 
or if he is not able to do this, to enlist the 
services of a practical beekeeper in his district. 
1. Should he not be able to get any such 
help, he must try and get a swarm from a hive 
which was known to have swarmed the previous 
season, because the queen of such a swarm 
would be a young one and in her prime. 'The 
larger the swarm the better. The beekeeper 
can judge the strength of the swarm by its 
weight or measure. Three pounds of bees, or 
a little more than a gallon, \fould be a medium 
swarm, and five pounds, or about seven quarts, 
would be a good swarm. 
6. Much greater care should be exercised 
in purchasing an old hive, and it should be 
well examined before it is taken. If in a skep, 
blow in a little smoke at the entrance, and 
after a few minutes turn it up. The hive 
should be full of bees, and these can be driven 
down with a few more puffs of smoke. (Instead 
of smoke carbolic acid can be used ; but this will 
be explained in another chapter ) Examine 
the combs, and see that they are free from 
mould ; and if, on pushing them apart, brood 
is found, it shows that the queen is present. 
The combs should be straight and regular. 
