The Opelousas courier., 1898-07-16
Locating an Apiary.

The apiary ought to be some dis
lance from the highway, writes W. q.
Hutchinson, Of Michigan. What this
distance should be depends upon what
there is between the bees and the
street. If there are buildings, or
trees, or even a high fence, the bees
may be quite neal the road, as in their
flight the bees rise above these OBJ
structions, and thus fly over the heads
of passers-by. If there is nothing
between the bees and the highway,
the apiary ought to be not nearer the
street than ten rods, and fifteen or
twenty rods would be better. 1t is
possible with a small apiary to avoid
trouble even if 1t is located near the
street. If it becomes necessary to
handle the bees when no honey is
coming in, and such handlingi is likely
to i~rritate them, the work can be done
just before dark, when the bees will
not fly far from their hives, but In q
large apiary there is too much work
that must be done when bees may not
be in an amiable mood, to enable the
operator to perform 1t during the
twilight Of evening. If necessary,
the beekeeper a protect himself
with o veil, and armed with a smoker
he can go on with the work, even If
the bees are a little cross, but in such
cases the apiary must be isolated.
Nearly level ground is preferable for
an apiary. If it slopes gently to the
south or east, so much the better. It
should never be in such a location
that the water will stand upon the
ground.
I have tried placing the honey house
in the center Of the apiary, and hay
ing the hives in long, double rows that
radiated from the honey house as
spokes in a wheel radiate from the
hub. In each double row is left a
space between the rows large enough
for a wheelbarrow, and the entrances
are turned away from the path left for
the operator and his wheelbarrow. So
far as reducing the labor of going to
and from the hives is concerned. this
arrangement is excellent, but 1t has
the very serious objection that only
part Of the apiary can be seen at one
In watching for swarms it is
necessary to look in four different d.
.rections in order to ascertain if O
swarm is out. When the honey house
IS at one side Of the apiary, the whole
can be taken in at a glance.
Other things being equal, the south
tide of the apiary is preferable for the
honey house. In watching for swarms
he b%eekeeper does not have to look
oward the sun, but has the clear
lorthern sky for a background, while
he shady side Of the building, which
will naturally be sought by the tired
'eekeeper as the best spot in which to
AXE a breathing spell, is toward the
piary.
Most beekeepers are in favor of a
wo-story building for q honey house,
Ising the upper room for storing hives
nd fixtures, the lower story for work
hop and honey room, the latter being
off by itself, while the Gel
ar under the building is used for win
ering the bees. The honey room
ught to be located in the southeast
orner, anG sor,e ven paint the out
ide walls q dark color where they
ONE next to the honey room, in or
er that as much as possible of the
un's heat may be absorbed. The
lea is that honey must be kept as
arm as possible. II there is any un-
ipe or unsealed honey, this high tenn
erature causes evaporation and i'm
By keeping honey in a
arm room all winter it has actually
improved by the keeping.-New Eng
ind Homestead.