46 
BEE-fULTURE. 
shaded during the heat of the day. The shade of a tree or 
vine is good to break the heat of the sun, and keeps the 
combs from melting. A hedge, a high board fence, or build- 
ing on the north and west are a protection against the strong 
winds which destroy very many laboring bees in the spring, 
when one bee is worth as much as a dozen in the latter part 
of summer, as they are much needed at this time of year to 
take care of the brood and keep it warm. 
If in April the day has been rather warm and the evening 
cool and windy, hundreds of bees may be found on the ground 
in front of the hive perhaps loaded with bee-bread, but ex- 
hausted from the flight and chilled with the cold. As they 
approach the hive they relax their exertions and a slight whiff 
of wind dashes them on the ground, from which they are un- 
able to rise again. And before the sun warms them the next 
morning they will be dead. For this reason I prefer having 
my bees near the ground, so that if any drop and cannot fly 
again, they may crawl into the hive. Were it not that in 
dashing rains the water splashes up and wets the hive, I 
would prefer having my hives within two or three inches of 
the ground. As it is, I usually set them from six to twelve 
inches up, and lean a short board from the ground to the en- 
trance of the hive, that bees may crawl up when they cannot 
fly. Hives placed near the ground, if upset from any cause, 
are less likely to be injured, as Bunyan says: “ He that is 
down need fear no fall.” 
THE STAND. 
For a stand for a hive, lay down two pieces of scantling. 
If it is desired to have it higher, lay two others across these, 
lay a short board on these. If any one wishes to expend 
something more on a stand they can make one more beautiful, 
but I doubt if it be any bettor. 
A good cheap stand for a box hive is made by using a board 
as wide as the hive, and cut long enough to extend six or 
eight inches in front for an alighting board for the bees. 
Nail down through this into strips two or three inches thick 
to keep the board from warping; and to raise it off the ground 
where no stand is used. 
