74 
APIARY 
W. C. Sorter’s house-apiary. The rags of different colors are used to enable the bees to mark their own 
entrances more easily. 
within the hives. In lieu of a cover a 
thin % board, or inside super cover, may 
answer just as well; but, so far as possible, 
the house-apiary should be so constructed 
that everything outdoors may be moved in¬ 
side, and vice versa , whenever requirements 
make it necessary. 
When the building of a house-apiary is 
double-walled, it is necessary to provide 
some sort of bridgework or housing to cover 
the runway between the entrances of the 
hives inside and the openings outside. In 
the author’s original building a two-inch 
round tube was used, because it was easier 
to insert a tube than to make a narrow rec¬ 
tangular box or housing. But a round hole, 
as large as this, is not as desirable as a 
covered runway thru the building to the 
regular entrance of the hive. 
On account of convenience in handling 
frames, many prefer to have the hive sides 
against the building. In that case there will 
have to be a slot in the side of the bottom- 
board instead of the end. Others prefer, 
on account of economy of space, to place 
the front end of the hive against the build¬ 
ing. When this is done it involves no 
change in the structure of the bottom- 
board; but it makes the handling of the 
frames a little awkward, as will readily be 
discovered when one tries the plan. 
To economize the space of the building 
still further, there may be another tier of 
hives about four feet above the floor; and 
these should be supported by shelving that 
reaches entirely around the room. The same 
arrangement with regard to entrances may 
be employed as described for the bottom 
tier. 
PUTTING CROSS COLONIES IN HOUSE-APIARIES. 
The Grossest bees are but little inclined 
to sting inside of a building. When they 
fly from the combs that one is handling, 
they find themselves inclosed; and this so 
disconcerts them that they immediately fly 
to the screen windows and escape. James 
Heddon said, “If you have a cross colony, 
put it in the house-apiary and see how 
tame it will become.” 
HOUSE-APIARIES FOR WINTERING. 
As the building is double-walled, and is 
(or ought to be) packed, colonies will re¬ 
quire less protection than outdoors. In¬ 
deed, about all that is necessary to put 
them into winter quarters is to put on 
an extra comb-honey super, tuck in a chaff 
cushion, replace the cover, when the bees 
