THE EVOLUTION OF THE BEE-HIVE. 207 



ing out the dead. One of the best ways to aid a colony to pro- 

 tect itself against robbers is to contract the hive entrance. Mois- 

 ture in the hive is chiefly caused by condensation. Hives are 

 liable to it in the winter, the cold air on the outside of the hive 

 coming in contact with the warm within. An American leather 

 quilt placed between the top of the frames and the lid of the hive, 

 with the woolly side down in winter, is the best cure. If the 

 frames run fore and aft as in the "Simplicity," the hive may be 

 tilted a trifle forward. This will in no way interfere with the 

 frames lying plumb. 



20. The bottom-board should admit of being easily 

 cleansed, in cold weather, of dead bees. 



In cold weather, how is the bottom-board to be cleaned with- 

 out the removal of the bees if it be a fixture ? But with a mov- 

 able one it is easily done. 



21. No part of the interior of a hive should be below the 

 level of the exit. 



The entrance is most convenient when cut in the solid bot- 

 tom-board V-shape, having a fall outwards. This will do away 

 with all the trouble Langstroth refers to in connection with the 

 bottom-board. 



22. It should afford facilities for feeding bees, both in 

 warm and cold weather. 



Honey should never be taken from bees to the extent that 

 they need feeding. Of course there are seasons when there is 

 little or no honey flow. No hive has facilities for feeding of bees 

 better than the Langstroth bar-frame. 



23. It should permit the easy hiving of a swarm without 

 injuring any bees or risking the destruction of the 

 queen. 



The Langstroth hive, with ordinary care, is so workable that 

 no bees need be injured in hiving. 



24. It should admit of safe transportation of the bees to 

 any distance. 



c 



