THE BEE. 
283 
passages, or lanes, across their different dwelling-places, wide enough for 
two bees to pass. 
ADVANTAGES OF KEEPING BEES. — It is strange, that though the ex- 
pense of establishing stocks of bees, where there is a garden, is so trivial, 
and the possible gain so great, few people take the trouble of keeping 
them. Country cottagers too generally neglect to take advantage even 
of an adjoining common or lonely garden, which specially invite to bee- 
keeping. Where cottage gardens are very small and crowded, and 
multitudes of children swarm, it is certainly difficult, if not dangerous, 
to introduce tens of thousands of bees, with their formidable stings ; but 
in numberless instances where bee-husbandry is neglected, it might be 
pursued with some profit. 
No farmer, nor even humble cottager, who has a patch of garden, 
and lives near commons, heath-covered hills, or woods, should he with- 
out hives, as the great supply of bees’ food is obtained by their own 
exertions. It is not the rarest and most beautiful flowers which afford 
the best honey, hut those which abound in the open fields as well as in 
the garden ; the flowers of mountain heath, clover, trefoil, beans, 
vetches, wild thyme, turnips and cabbages, privet, elder, bramble, rue, 
and, above all, the blossoms of the common furze, are among the best 
materials for honey. The cost of food is scarcely any thing, and the re- 
turn may be considered clear gain. 
The trouble of rearing bees, compared with the pleasure or the profit, 
is nothing. 
MANAGEMENT OF BEES. — To him who is about engaging in bee-keep- 
ing, the first question of interest is, how to select his stock. As a rule, 
the spring is the best season to purchase a stock of bees, as they have 
then passed the casualties of the winter ; and the question of profit, so 
far as the first year is concerned, is quite clear, if the swarms are judi- 
ciously chosen. Their value depends upon the health and number of 
bees, and the time they have occupied the hive. The number in a 
colony can be judged of with comparative accuracy by raising the hives 
and examining them, or by the hum produced on giving them slight 
taps ; and by the weight, as shown either by lifting or weighing. The 
age of a swarm is told by the color of the comb ; in new swarms the 
color being white, and varying from that to nearly black, in very old 
swarms. The brood combs grow thicker with age, and the cells and the 
bees hatched in them are therefore smaller, and the latter feebler. It is 
poor economy to purchase a colony more than two years old. 
Transporting Bees. — Let the hive be placed on a cloth, the ends of 
which must be carefully tied over the top; if it is to be taken to a 
distance, the hive so tied up may he swung on a pole fastened across a 
cart from side to side; this prevents the jolting to which it might 
otherwise be subject, which would disturb the bees, and probably shake 
down the comb. When arrived at its destination, let the hive be placed 
on the stand, and if any of the bees have fallen out on the cloth, place 
them near the entrance, and they will soon find their way in. 
SPRING MANAGEMENT. — As soon as the weather is fine examine your 
hives by lifting them carefully from the stand. Clear away all the dead 
bees and refuse matters which have collected during the winter. Rub 
