HOW BEES KNOW THEIR HOME. 
47 * 
KEEP HIYES SEPAKATE. 
For different reasons it is preferable to have each hive on 
a separate stand, instead of the common practice of setting 
several on one board. When a number of hives are on one 
board the bees are much inclined to run together, to their 
great disadvantage; besides they are more likely to be crowd- 
ed together. It is not good to have them closer than three 
or four feet apart. I would prefer, where there is room, to 
separate them ten feet. Persons sometimes tell me they have 
seen bee-keepers who would set their bees down on the ground, 
here and there and everywhere, apparently giving them no 
attention, and had more luck than those who built fine houses 
fur them and went to great expense. I do not doubt it. 
They blundered on some good rules, but had they observed 
the same rules intentionally they would not have fared worse. 
Bee houses will break the storm and keep the hives dry, in 
other respects they are a disadvantage. 
HOW BEES KHOW THEIXi HOME. 
Bees are not attracted to their home by instinct as by a 
magnet, but are governed by their senses in marking their 
locality, lu early spring a large portion of the bees that fly 
out are young ones that have never been out; and the old 
ones, having been confined to the hive by winter, seem to 
have forgotten their situation. Consequently, when they fly 
out in the spring, they do not leave the hive in a straight line, 
but only go a few inches, then with their heads to the hive, 
and oscillate back and forth in front of it; then move farther 
back, still hovering in front of the hive with their heads al- 
ways towards the entrance, occasionally advancing towards it 
as if to note more particularly the exact place of entrance. 
Then, after making a few larger circles in the air, they start 
in a straight line for the distance. On returning they come 
directly to the hive and enter. The surrounding objects 
and the color of the hive seem to be noted by the bees. Af- 
ter bees have got their course in the spring, should the hive 
be moved two or three rods, they in flying out will not note 
the place ; but if they are in clear open ground, they will 
generally find their place on returning. But should other 
objects intervene, or hives be sitting close by, it would be 
