Care must be taken to keep the bee-houses free from spiders and other insects. In some districts ants are numerous and troublesome. The plan we recommend for excluding them is to put some pitch round the four supports of the bee-house, or, better still, strips of loose flannel or other woollen material that is absorbent, which have previously been soaked in lamp oil. We use sperm oil, as being the slowest-drying oil we know of A piece of string will keep the flannel close to the wood, and then neither ant nor other insect will pass up; so that by this simple means the hives may, so to speak, be insulated and placed beyond their reach. As the oil dries up it can easily be renewed. We have found this an effectual remedy against these insidious enemies of bees. [Illustration] Where economy of room is a consideration we fit up bee-houses with a double row of hives, one above the other. Our illustrations show respectively the front and back of a house of this kind for twelve hives, having an ornamental zinc gutter to prevent the wet from dripping on to the alighting-board. When a number of hives are thus together we colour the alighting-boards differently, so as to provide the bees with a distinctive mark by which each may know its own home, and not wander into its neighbour's house. Bees readily enough receive a honey-laden labourer into a hive; but if the wanderer be poor and empty it will be promptly repulsed, and may have to forfeit its life for the mistake. Queens returning from their wedding trip are liable to mistake their hive if there is not a noticeable difference between the entrances. A queen entering a hive already possessed of a fruitful sovereign would be certain to be killed, and the loss to her own hive is a serious one. Hives are often made queenless from this cause, and thereby reduced to utter ruin, the bee-master perhaps attributing his failure to something altogether different. [Illustration] In lieu of houses an economical stand can be provided by driving two rows of posts into the ground, one row about twelve inches behind the other, and nailing upon them rails two inches wide and thick. The hives may stand upon these, with eighteen inches between them for space for performing operations. But there is less fear of jarring the other hives when the stands are separate. § II. ZINC COVERS. [Illustration] The annexed illustration shows the ornamental zinc cover, and renders but little description necessary. It represents one of our improved cottage hives upon a stand. Three clumps of wood must be driven into the ground, and the three iron rods supporting the covering made fast to them with screws; there are screw holes in the feet of the iron rods for the purpose. When thus secured but little fear need be entertained of its being blown over by high winds.