THE APIARY. 
187 
affair, and so it is ; yet small matters must be attended 
to if we succeed; “ a small leak will sink a ship.” A 
grain of wheat is a small matter ; ’tis only in the ag- 
gregate that its importance is manifest. The bee is 
small, the load of honey brought home by it is still 
less, and the quantity secreted in the nectary of each 
flower, yet more minute. The patient bee visits each, 
and obtains but a tiny morsel ; by perseverance a load 
is obtained, and deposited in the hive ; it is only by 
the accumulation of such loads that we find an object 
worthy our notice : here is a lesson ; look to little 
things, and the manner in which they are multiplied, 
and preserved. It is much better to save our bees 
than waste them, and wait for others ty, be raised ; 
“ a penny saved is worth two pence earned.” If a 
stock is lost by small means, a corresponding effort is 
only necessary to save it. This trifling care is some- 
times neglected through indolence. But I hope for 
better things generally ; I am willing to believe it is 
thorough ignorance, not knowing what kind of care 
is necessary — how, when, and where to bestow it. 
This is what now appears to be my duty to tell. You 
will now sufficiently understand the cause of loss on 
this point ; therefore, let it be a rule to have all ready 
in spring, before the bees leave their hives — the stands, 
bee-house, etc., and not change them. 
ECONOMY. 
If we keep bees for ornament, it would be well to 
build a bee-house, paint the hives, &c. ; but as I ex- 
pect the majority of readers will be interested in the 
