BEES. 80 



least do not answer for the centre box^ and the description, 

 will, therefore, be only of boxes. It is not to be expected 

 that every one will be able to purchase the somewhat ex- 

 pensive series of hives described by Mr. Nutt, but it m 

 hoped that his description of a '^ set" of collateral hives will 

 be sufficiently clear to enable any man of tolerable ingenuity^ 

 and moderately acquainted with the use of tools, to construct 

 a set for himself, even though he be no joiner or carpenter. 

 He need not expend his time upon the external ornament 

 oF the hives, or make quite as elegant a set as depicted by 

 Mr. Nutt, but if he only takes care to have the interior 

 smooth, and carefully worked, using* well-seasoned woody 

 against which the rays of the meridian sun, the drenching* 

 summer showers, or the frosts of the winter months, may 

 beat in vain, his hives will answer as well if not better than 

 many an elegant and carefully finished bee-palace such as- 

 are frequently reared. 



Mr. Nutt's description of the proper form and materials of 

 the collateral boxes is as follows : — 



"The best wood for them is, by some, said to be red 

 cedar ; the chief grounds of preference of which wood are,, 

 its effects in keeping moths out of the boxes, and its being a 

 bad conductor of heat. But of whatever kind of wood bee- 

 boxes are made, it should be well seasoned, perfectly sound,, 

 and free from what carpenters term shakes. Good, sound, red) 

 deal, answers the purpose very well, and is the sort of wood 

 of which most of my boxes have been made hitherto. The 

 sides of the boxes, particularly the front side, should be, at 

 the least, an inch and a half in thickness ; for the ends, top,, 

 and back parts, good deal, one inch thick, is sufficiently 

 substantial ; the ends that form the interior divisions and 

 openings must be of half-inch stuffs, well dressed off, so that, 

 when the boxes and dividing tins are closed — that is, when) 

 they are all placed together — the two adjoining ends should 

 not exceed five eighths of an inch in thickness. These com- 

 munication-ends, the bars of which should be exactly parallel 

 with each other, form a communication or division as the 

 case may require, which is very important to the bee, and by 

 which the said boxes can be immediately divided without 

 injuring* any part of the combs, or deluging the bees with 

 liquid honey, which so frequently annoys them, in exti-actino^ 



