300 
ENTRANCES TO HIVES 
be a large alighting-board if the hive is 
raised off the ground; or if on the ground, 
there should be an easy slanting grade or 
doorstep to the entrance. All grass and 
weeds should be kept down within at least 
a foot of the front of the hive. Bees that 
come in heavily laden are often knocked 
down by bumping into tall weeds or sprigs 
A colony with an entrance too small, where the 
bees have formed the loafing habit. 
of grass. While they ultimately take wing, 
making another attempt, and finally land 
in the hive, such obstructions, if hindering 
to the bees, cause a loss to their owner. See 
Apiary. 
KEEPING DOWN THE GRASS. 
It is impossible to estimate just how 
much the loss in honey is; but, if the actual 
figures could be secured, the producer 
would be surprised. When it is such an 
easy matter to cut away the weeds, or keep 
them away from the entrance with a little 
sprinkling of salt or with a wide board, it 
is “penny wise and pound foolish” to wear 
out the wings of our little servants trying 
to pass this obstruction, at the same time 
delaying them when every moment counts. 
Farmer beekeepers especially seem to have 
the idea that bees will work for nothing and 
board themselves, and in three cases out of 
five one will find the entrances of their 
hives, what few they may have, all tangled 
up with grass and weeds. On mornings 
when there is a heavy dew such obstruc¬ 
tion is very considerable. 
Very many use a scythe, lawnmoAver, or 
a common sickle, to cut down the grass. 
Others keep it down with a small handful 
of salt scattered around the front of the 
hive. Still others prefer to use a piece of 
board about a foot or more wide, and as 
long as the hive is wide. Rough unplaned 
lumber of the cheapest kind is better than 
clear planed stuff, as the bees can cling to 
it more easily. The boards should be 
cleated and laid directly on the ground, 
abutting up close to the bottom-board if it 
rests on or is close to the ground.' No grass 
or weeds can grow, of course, where these 
boards are laid; and general practice shows 
it is cheaper and better to use such boards 
than to be compelled to use salt or cut 
down the obstructions every few days in 
front of the hive. 
One of the drawings contains a sugges¬ 
tion which can be very easily applied to the 
cleated boards just described. Bend some 
iron wires, about No. 8, with hook at each 
end. Drive one of the hooks into the board 
as here illustrated, and secure in position 
by means of a common blind-staple near 
the other edge. If the wires ai’e cut right, 
this alighting-board can be easily hooked 
into the entrance and make a nice easy 
grade from the ground up to the hive. 
At any time these alighting-boards can be 
unhooked, the grass cut with a lawnmower, 
and the board replaced. 
