12 
chapman’s handy-book. 
their way back to it. Third—If the hive is placed towards 
the setting sun the bees leave their hive later in the 
morning, when the dew is off the flower’s, and thus escape 
the destruction which attend the early workers. It is 
quite true that at certain seasons, when food is scarce or 
the weather stormy, bees arrive late in the evening ; this is 
another reason why the opening to the hive should be 
towards the setting sun. This will be as true in New 
Zealand as in England. Your own dwelling house should 
face the north-east and the beehive should face the north¬ 
west, but of course different localities will modify this a 
little. 
Bee-houses. 
The “ Times Bee Master ” (Dr. Cumming), and all practical 
bee keepers, object to the bee house. Mr. Jesse says, I have 
a dislike to bee houses. W e believe they serve to harbour 
and breed vermin. Mr. Cotton says, some of you do not fancy 
Avooden boxes, because you say the bees do not like them. 
Now, I Avould ask whether wild bees live in Avooden trees 
or in trusses of straw P They choose Avood, and wooden 
boxes, if thick enough, are Avarmer in winter, cooler in 
summer, freer from insects, and more handy than straAV 
hives—for ventilation and side room, have three boxes, 
SAvarm the bees into the middle box and if never afterwards 
disturbed, there the queen lays her eggs, there the nurse 
bees do their work, there they lay up honey, the side 
boxes are barns where they lay up spare honey for you, 
and Avhich you may take as fast as they are filled—there 
is a slide at the top and Dot to in of the middle box working 
from the front, which opens or cuts off the Avay from the 
centre box to the sides; always keep one of the side boxes 
empty, as soon as the one on the right hand gets pretty 
full of honey, to prevent the bees from swarming, pull out 
the slide and let the bees into the left hand box—as soon 
as they have taken to this new barn carry off the full one, 
empty it and place it back again to be used as soon as the 
left hand one gets full, the boxes must be about eleven 
inches on the inside by nine inches high, but always 
remember the size is of little consequence, as a Polish hive 
is five feet high. The hives must be sheltered from the 
