230 
THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 
often placed where many bees perish by falling into tho 
dirt, or among the tall weeds and grass, where spiders 
and toads find their choicest lurking-places. 
Covered Apiaries, unless built at great expense, afford 
little or no protection against extreme heat or cold, and 
much increase the risk of losing the queens. 
In the Summer, no place is so congenial to bees as the 
shade of trees, if it is not too dense, or their branches so 
low as to interfere with their flight. As the weather 
becomes cool, they can easily be moved to any more 
desirable Winter location. If colonies are moved in the 
line of their flight, and a short distance at a time , no loss 
of bees will be incurred ; but, if moved only a few yards, 
all at once., many will often be lost. By a gradual pro¬ 
cess, the hives in an Apiary may, in the .Fall, be brought 
into a narrow compass, so that they can be easily shel 
tered from the bleak Winter winds. In the Spring, they 
may be gradually returned to their old positions.* 
PROCURING BEES TO STOCK AN APIARY. 
The beginner will ordinarily find it best to stock his 
Apiary with swarms of the current year, thus avoiding, 
until he can prepare himself to meet them, the perplexi¬ 
ties which often accompany either natural or artificial 
swarming. If new swarms are purchased, unless they are 
large and early, they may only prove a bill of expense. 
If old stocks are purchased, such only should be selected 
as are healthy and populous. If removed after the work¬ 
ing season has begun, they should be brought from a 
distance of at least two miles (p. 156). 
* By removing the strongest stocks in an Apiary the first day, and others not 
so strong tho next, and continuing the process until all were removed, I have safely 
changed the location of my Apiary, when compelled to move my bees in tho work¬ 
ing season. On tho removal of the last hive, but few bees returnod to the old 
spot. The change, as thus conducted, strengthened tho weaker stocks. 
