FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE EEES 47 



hives are generally made without them, but quite a num- 

 ber of experienced bee-keepers are quietly using them 

 because of their distinct advantage, notwithstanding the 

 inconvenience of having them made to order. 



BOTTOM-BOARD, 



^ 



The bottom-board is a plain box, two inches deep, 

 open at one end. It is made of six pieces of ^ stuff ; 



Fig. 14 — Wagon Load of Bees. 



two pieces 22>^ x 2, one piece 12i/^ x 2, and three pieces 

 13^x7}^. When so desired, the bottom-board is fas- 

 tened to the hive by means of four staples 1>< in. wide, 

 with points ^ inch long (Fig. 11). 



With such a bottom-board there is a space two 

 inches deep under the bottom-bars, a very nice thing in 

 winter, and at any time when there is no danger of bees 

 building down, but quite too deep for harvest-time. For- 

 merly I made the bottom-board reversible, reversing it 



