THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



181 



liarities of the hives before you (see Fig. 1). You will observe that 

 the hives are distinguished by a letter, a number, or a name, which 

 should be entered in a note-book, which can be easily carried in the 

 pocket, in order that notes may be made on the spot when any hive 

 is examined, so that important particulars about each may readily be 

 referred to without any mistake. These letters, numbers, or names 

 being written in capitals and Roman numerals at one end, and on all 

 the parts belonging to that end, and in small letters or Arabic 

 numerals at another end, the parts so marked can readily be replaced, 

 so as to fit whenever 

 the hive is opened. The 

 weight also of the empty 

 hive should be inscribed 

 upon each, so as to be 

 able readily to ascertain 

 any increase or diminu- 

 tion of the variable con- 

 tents. You observe I 

 take my keys from my 

 pocket, which may also 

 have the distinguishing 

 mark of each hive upon 

 them, and open the outer 

 doors (see Fig. 3). No 

 hinges are employed, as 

 they are apt to crush 

 bees, though, if pre- 

 ferred, they might be 

 fitted to the bottoms of 

 the outer doors, but the 

 plan adopted is more 

 simple. 



Within the outer 

 wooden doors cushions 

 of tow, wool, waddiug, 

 etc., are kept against the 

 glass of the inner sashes 

 to make them warmer. 



These inner sashes VOU Flg. 2. Sliding glazed sash, a a a a, Recesses cor- 

 Will observe, slide to and r fP°«* n g ^ fillet in hive, b, Aperture for insertion 

 j. n-., , of a smoker for quieting bees, c .stopper lor closing 



fro on fillets or runners, the aperture< £ I(J . 3 . Door of hive . FlGi 4 . Move- 

 so as to enable me to able frame, 

 expand or contract the 



interior capacity of the hive at will. In winter, a comparatively few 

 combs partly filled with honey are required by the bees, and the 

 empty ones being removed and stored up safely, the sliding sashes 

 may be moved towards the centre, and pasted over with paper, the 

 space between them and the outer doors being filled with tow, dry 

 moss, hay, etc., so as to keep the hive entirely free from draughts. 

 The combs are to be worked in these sliding frames (see Fig. 4), as 

 you see by the one partly filled with honey. In order to induce the 



