FARMER'S MANUAL. 161 



fiat top, (on account of the moisture as before notic- 

 ed,) 1 made six holes in the top board, and closed 

 them with plates of tin, perforated with small holes. 

 The whole I covered with a convex straw cover, 

 constructed in the same manner as the hive. This 

 guarded the swarm from moisture, without and with- 

 in. Whenever I require some honey-comb, at any 

 season of the year, I open the top, by removing 

 the cover, and take out one of the side boards, 

 (as above,) cut off the comb, and replace the board 

 again, as before, or clap in another of the same di- 

 mensions, if the Bees prove troublesome. This 

 operation is quick done, without disturbing the mid- 

 dle combs, and often without the loss of one single Bee. 

 In the month of August, 1810, I obtained from one 

 of my hives 18lbs. of beautiful honey-comb; by 

 the 10th of September, the void was filled again, and 

 I took out lOlbs. more, leaving a sufficiency to sup- . 

 ply the swarm through the winter. This hive will 

 never require any enlargement to give the Bees 

 more room ; this may always be done by extracting 

 the comb as above. It opens the whole interior of 

 the hive for your inspection, whenever you wish 

 to search the hive for moths, mice, or other destruc- 

 tive evils to your Bees." 



Mr. Huish goes on to observe, that from his expe- 

 rience in the management of Bees for more than 

 twenty years, from his very extensive correspond- 

 ence and personal acquaintance with most of the 

 learned Apiarians in Europe, he concludes that no 

 form of hive can be constructed, which will ensure 

 great harvests of wax, honey and swarms. These 

 are chimeras which it is in vain to pursue, because the 

 whole depends upon the season, the face of the coun- 

 try, and the general supply of honey ; all which, have 

 a peculiar influence on the fecundity of the queen 

 Bee. To these causes it must be ascribed, why the 

 mode of treatment which answers well this year, will 

 not answer well the next, or is so variable under the 



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