No. 6. 



DEI'AIITMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



347 



combs are never to bo lifted out of the hive it is as well or better to 

 have the bees in a box hive. 



SIZE OF HIVES. 



Much diversity of opinion exists as to the size of hives. A box- 

 hive may contain about 2,000 inclies, but some prefer a larger size. 

 For 2,000 inches, a good proportion is to have the inside of the 

 hive 12 inches square and 14 inches high. For extracted honey 

 there is a pretty general agreement that a ten-frame movable comb 

 hive is desirable, but for comb honey many prefer a hive of eight 

 frames. But the eight-frame hive needs closer attention as to the 

 matter of supplies, and the ten-frame hive i& much safer against the 

 danger of starving in winter and spring. Do not think of using 

 less than ten frames, unless you expect to give close attention to 

 your bees. 



ITALIAN AND BLACK BEES. 



The common black bee was first introduced into this country; 

 but within the last half of the nineteenth century bees from Italy 

 have become very common, and the Italian bee seems to be the 

 popular variet}". In size and form it is much the same as the com- 

 mon bee. The difference in appearance is found in the first three 

 rings of the abdomen. The abdomen of a worker-bee, whether 

 Italian or common, consists of six segments, one segment sliding into 

 the other telescope fashion. When a bee is filled with honey, the 

 abdomen is elongated and the segments show more plainly. 



In the engraving is shown the abdomen or liinder part of a 

 worker bee several times enlarged, in which the 

 segments or rings of the abdomen are plainly seen. 

 The segments A, B, C, are yellow in pure Italian 

 bees that are imported from Italy. The four 

 middle rings in all kinds of workers have the 

 edges covered with light-colored down or plum- 

 age, as shown at J, K, L, M, but there is no down 

 on the first or last segment. It is not this down, 

 however, that gives the yellow color to the first 

 three bands in Italian bees', but the horny sub- 

 stance of the segment itself. Some Italian bees 

 have plumage that is nearly white instead of yel- 

 low, and these are called albinos. When the down 

 is worn off, as in the case of robber bees, the bees 

 become glossy black, the three first bands of the Italians of course be- 

 ing still yellow. 



In this country are to be found what are called golden or five- 



(By permission from 

 Root's A B C of 

 Bee Culture.) 



