514 now TO MAKE THE FARM PAY. 



groove in the bottom board and not be f\xstened to it. Two or 

 three half inch sticks crossing each way in the centre of the 

 hive help to support the combs. One-quarter inch from the 

 top of the hive fasten slats four to six inches wide, of one-half 

 inch stuff leaving cracks one-quarter of an inch wide between 

 them. Over the top put a cover projecting on all sides and 

 Hastened to the hive by small hooks. You have then both a 

 movable top and bottom board, and a honey board, which is as 

 near a Langstroth's hive as you can come in a box hive. If 

 you already have box hives, bore holes in the top and put on a 

 cover like the one turned back in Fig. 110. It is seldom well 

 to take honey from the brood chamber ; with holes in the top 

 of the hive you can set on surplus honey boxes and get your 

 honey clean and clear as in the movable comb hive. 



Nearly all the directions for feeding, watering, natural 

 swarming, and wintering, which were given for the Langstroth 

 hive are applicable to the box hive thus constructed. Artifi- 

 cial swarming is much more difficult and uncertain. The box 

 hive must be turned bottom upward. This is accomplished by 

 smoking the bees. "When it is ascertained what colonies are in 

 condition to part with a swarm, the new hive is prepared as 

 before directed, ;ilso a square. box just the size of the hive. 



Turn the hive bottom upwards after smoking the bees ; set 

 the box over it and rap steadily on the sides of the hive, giving 

 them also an occasional wliift" of smoke. In ten or fifteen 

 minutes turn the bees that have gone up into the box out 

 before their new hive, remove the old hive to a new place, and 

 hct the new one on its stand as previously directed. 



Italian Bees are, on many accounts, much better than our 

 common bees. Italian queens are sent in little wire cages to 

 all parts of the country. The common queen is removed and 

 ;he next day the Italian queen, cage and all, inserted in'a hole, 



