Sometimes the injury is trifling, only a piece or two slipping down; at other times the whole contents fall in a confused and broken mass, the weight pressing out the honey, and besmearing the bees, which in that situation creep out, and away, from the hive in every direction. I once had some new stocks ruined, and several others injured by hot weather, in this way, about the first of September, immediately after the flowers of buckwheat. The bees, or most of them, being covered with honey, together with what ran out of the hive, at once attracted bees from the others to the spot, which carried off the entire contents in a few hours. This was an uncommon occurrence; I have known but one season in twenty-five years when it occurred after the failure of honey in the flowers. It usually happens during a plenteous yield, and then other stocks are not apt to be troublesome. FIRST INDICATIONS. The first indications of such an accident will be, the bees outside in clusters, when the hive is perhaps only half or two-thirds full, and the honey running out from the bottom, (this is when part has fallen.) PREVENTION. To prevent such occurrences as far as possible, ventilate by raising the hives on little blocks at the corners, and _effectually protect them from the sun_; and if necessary, wet the outside with _cold_ water. At the time of losing those before mentioned, I kept all the rest of the young swarms wet through the middle of the day, and I have no doubt but I saved several by this means. I had some trouble with such as had only a piece or two come down, and started just honey enough to attract other bees. It was not safe to close the hive to prevent the robbers, as this would have made the heat still greater, and been certain destruction. The best protection I found, was to put around the bottom of the hive a few stems of asparagus; this gave a free circulation of air, and at the same time, made it very difficult for the robbers to approach the entrance, without first creeping through this hedge and encountering some bees that belonged to the hive; which, with this assistance, were enabled to defend themselves till all wasting honey was taken up.