irely lost several stocks; some of them were the
best; others were materially injured, yet he had a few made better by
the addition of bees from other hives; (sometimes a stock will allow
strange bees to unite with them, but it is seldom, unless a large
number enters--it is safest to keep each family by itself, under
ordinary circumstances). These stocks, before they were moved, had been
collecting pollen, and had their location well marked. Had they been
placed six feet apart, instead of four inches, he probably would not
have lost any, or even two feet might have saved them. I have often
moved them at this season, and placed them at three feet distance, and
had no bad results.

Facts like the foregoing, satisfied me long since that stocks should
occupy their situation for the summer, as early as possible in the
spring, at least before they mark the location; or if they must be
moved after that, let it be nothing short of a mile and a half, and
plenty of room between the hives.

SPACE BETWEEN HIVES.

As regards the distance between hives generally, I would say let it be
as great as convenience will allow. Want of room makes it necessary
sometimes to set them close; where such necessity exists, if the hives
were dissimilar in color, some dark, others light, alternately, it
would greatly assist the bees in knowing their own hive. But it should
be borne in mind, that whenever economy of space dictates less than two
feet, there are often bees enough lost by entering the wrong hive,
which, if saved, would pay the rent of a small addition to a garden, or
bee-yard. I have several other reasons to offer for giving plenty of
room between hives, which will be mentioned hereafter.

SMALL MATTERS.

The reader who is accustomed to doing things on gigantic principles,
will consider this long "yarn" about saving a few bees in spring, a
rather small affair, and so it is; yet small matters must be attended
to if we succeed; "a small leak will sink a ship." A grain of wheat is
a small matter; 'tis only in the aggregate that its importance is
manifest. The bee is small, the load of honey brought home by it is
still less, and the quantity secreted in the nectary of each flower,
yet _more minute_. The patient bee visits each, and obtains but a tiny
morsel; by perseverance a load is obtained, and deposited in the hive;
it is only by the accumulation of such loads that we find an object
worthy our notice: here is a lesson; look to