BEE-KEEri.VG. 
depriving system, are expected to stand from 
fifteen to twenty year?.' 
■■ Wooden Hiees or Boxes. — Whatever may 
be said in favour of straw hives, as a cheap 
- nrce for cottagers, there is no doubt of the 
preference to be given to wooden ones, both 
in p -tut of durability, and as affording greater 
convenience to the bees ; for a square form 
is better adapted for the economical placing 
of the combs than any other. My boxes are 
- of deal, but it matters not much what 
1 is used, provided it is sound, thoroughly 
med, and well put together. Different 
opinions are entertained as to the best size of 
bee-boxes, but I think that much must depend 
on the number of bees they are to contain, and 
on the honey locality, which varies exceedingly: 
there must also be a reference to the proposed 
mode of working them ; for where no swarm- 
ing is permitted a larger hive may sometimes 
be used. A good size is eleven inches square. 
and nine inches deep withinside ; the thick- 
ness throughout being not less than an inch, 
or, if exposed, a little thicker. The top of the 
box ought to project on all sides half an inch, 
for better protection and appearance, and as 
all' irding convenience for lifting. On the top 
a two or three-inch hole should be cut in the 
centre, for placing a bell-glass, or small hive ; 
and for the purpose of feeding or ventilation. 
In making a box it is best to leave the roof 
withinside unplaned ; if too smooth, the bees 
have often a difficulty in making the first 
combs adhere, and they sometimes fall in con- 
sequence. A window may be placed at the 
back and front, or at the end, five inches high, 
and six wile-. The glass should be thii k, 
secured by putty ; but it must not fit too 
tightly, or it is apt to crack from the swelling 
of the wood. The best and neatest way of 
securing the windows, that I have seen, is by 
a sliding shutter of zinc Round the window 
there must be a projecting moulding, mitred at 
the corners. On one side the piece of moulding 
immoveable, ami to the back of this is screwed 
a plate of sheet zinc. This passes into a rab- 
bet to receive it, cut, on the remaining three 
sides, at the back of the lower edge of the 
moulding. For the sake of uniformity of 
appearance, blank windows may be made oppo- 
site to the real ones. No entrance way .-hould 
be eat in the box, as this is far better made in 
its floor-board." 
1 1 re we feel disposed to leave company, for, 
as we said at starting, simplicity and economy 
are, to our notions, essential to all things; 
nevertheless we are quite aware that whj 
follows up a subject enthusiastically wants to 
[earn all be can ; lie can never find too much 
reading about his favourite hobby ; and the 
advantage of this little manual is that we 
may learn from it all that is, to be learn! 
as to the natural history of the bee, and the 
numerous contrivances to render them sub- 
servient to our purposes of use and amusement. 
The only other quotation we shall make is 
that of a passage which alike concerns all the 
various contrivances for keeping them — 
namely, the situation for the apiary and the 
plants best adapted for their purposes. Mr. 
Taylor says — " I agree with Mr. Payne in 
the following remark : — ' I have no hesitation 
in saying that a south aspect is decidedly pre- 
ferable to any other position for an apiary. 
I have tried various aspects, but the bees in the 
south I have always found to be the healthiest, 
and to collect the largest quantity of honey. 
It is very important that the hives should be 
sheltered from the wind by trees or houses, 
and that they are not placed in the vicinity of 
ponds or large rivers, for the high winds will 
dash them into the water, where numbers will 
perish.' 
" Circumstances may interfere to prevent 
placing the bee-stands in the exact position 
here recommended, in which ease they may be 
turned a few points east or west ; but at all 
times a preference should be given to the 
former, for the afternoon sun ought to be 
avoided, if possible. Indeed it is a mistake 
to suppose that a hot sun is required to shine 
on bees. A little at the entrance of the hive 
in the morning is all that is desirable. 
'• I prefer placing the bees on a grass-plot, 
the drier the better ; and, if not otherwise 
well sheltered from the wind, planted with 
evergreens, particularly at the back and 
towards the south-west. Nothing high should 
be allowed immediately in front, nor towards 
the south-east ; but a few shrubs, of no greater 
height than the alighting-boards of the hives, 
are rather an advantage as a resting-place to 
the bees on their return from work ; for, from 
apparent fatigue, they frequently fall to the 
ground just on reaching home. All should 
be kept clean and well mowed around, and 
nothing offensive be permitted to remain in 
the vicinity. 
" When once fixed do not move your bees, 
the mischief of which I have often witnessed. 
I cannot enforce this recommendation better 
than Gclieu has done. 'I have seen people,' 
says he, 'shift about their hives very incon- 
siderately ; but change of place invariably 
weakens them, as the bees will return to their 
old residence, the environs of which are so 
familiar to them. A hive should remain as 
fixed to the spot as the ancient oaks, in the 
hollows of which they delight to establish 
themselves : where they have their young, 
their companions, their beloved queen, and all 
their treasures. When the young bees take 
wing for the first time, they do it with great 
precaution, turning round and round, an 1 
