“novice’s” gleanings in bee culture. 
STARTING AN APIARY. 
OITR WAY. 
S ELECT a piece of ground near 
your dwelling nearly level, and, 
if possible, sloping gently to the east 
or south. It will pay to level it down 
like a brick yard, removing all rub- 
bish of every description. Stretch a 
line running east and west on one 
side, 60 foot long, with knots tied 
every 3 feet, drive a stako six foet 
long and 2i inches square of oak or 
some durable wood at every other 
one of these knots ; in fact the better 
way is to tie the knots of black and 
white tape alternately, fastening 
them with pins that they may not 
slip. First drive a stake at each 
white knot, then move each end of 
the line by a stick cut accurately 5 j 
feet. A line should also be stretch- 
ed on one of the sides at right-angles 
to the first so that it may always be 
shifted squarely forward. Put a 
row of stakes on the black knots, 
then on the white again, and you 
will thus secure them in the shape 
of the cells in a honey comb, viz : 
each stake is surrounded by six others 
equally distant. Plant a grape vine 
on the south side of each stake and 
a hive on the north side, and with 
your Bee House located in tho cen- 
ter of this plantation you have or 
may have all tho requisites and 
every facility for moving among the 
hives in all directions. 
This plot will accomodate about 
100 hives, which number we consider 
as many as it will pay to keep for 
honey in one locality. If you arc 
ambitious for more, open other sim- 
ilar “ranches” three miles distant 
and 'three miles from each other, 
(this being tho center,) on tho plan 
we have arranged the stakes in the 
beginning. But as the central 
apiary of “our system” is not yet 
finished we will attend to that first. 
The very first work to be done is 
to get those grape vines growing, and 
we know of no variety equal to tho 
Concord for the purpose. Good, 
strong, well rooted vines should be 
purchased for about $10.00 per 100. 
Buy them of some one you know, if 
possible ; never patronize “traveling 
men.” Pinch off all shoots but one 
and train that straight up until it is in 
position to best shade your hive in 
the hot weather, and tie it securely 
with strings. Cut down this shoot 
at the end of the first year and Urn 
second year train two straight cane* 1 
•In the spring of the third season 
pull up your stake and drive it 18 
inches directly east of its first po- 
sition, and one just like it the same 
distance west. Cut them off on a 
line four feet from tho ground and 
connect the two with strips of pine j 
1x3 inches, one at the top and 1 
another 3 feet lower. Tie your two 
branches to the lower bar spreading | 
them each way and cut them off be- 
yond tho stakes. Stretch wires j 
(galvanized iron is best) from upper 1 
to lower bar every Id inches and 
your trellis is done. All the pruning , 
and future training these vines will 
need is to tie the shoots to the wires 
every summer, and cut them back to 
the lower bar every winter, pinching 
off' all shoots that are not needed 
and pinching them all off when 
they get much above the top bar. 
We know of no more healthful and 
prettier work for women and chil- 
dren than training these vines. As 
they are trained solely for the shade 
they afford the hives, we have not 
yot determined what course the 
Apiarian should pursue should they 
become loaded with fruit, as ours 
have been for several seasons, but 
have an impression that the ■ women 
and children still might aid us. 
Trees have been suggested in place 
of vinos ; and basswood would grow 
rapidly, but wo could not have them | 
so near togother and they would 
shado the hives morning and eve- J 
ning when they should have all the j 
sun possible. Wo know of nothing j 
that cam be kept just where we want 
them so well as grape vines, and as 
the lanes run east and west the sun 
gives us his rays when wanted and 
at no other time. 
To economize labor \ve shouhU 
havo the house in the center and the i 
hives and vines thus removed may,] 
be placed on tho sides so as to make i 
our rancho more in the form of a 
circle. The north and west sides L 
should be protected from high winds 
by a close fence or wall 8 feet high. 
A track should be laid to the 
nearest point of access with a wagon, 
from tho bee house door, and n low 
truck or car used to roll your bar- 
