248 FIx^TY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



nuclei in one hive are mutually helpful in keeping up the 

 heat, and thus it is possible to have the nuclei weaker 

 than if each nucleus was by itself, while results are as 

 good with the three weaker nuclei in the one hive as with 

 three stronger nuclei in three separate hives. 



NUCLEUS-HIVE. 



For many years I have had hives divided into two 

 or more compartments, and have had much trouble from 

 the bees finding a passage from one compartment to an- 

 other, but my latest nucleus hives have not troubled in 

 that way. They are made from ordinary 8-frame hives 

 together with the 2-inch-deep bottom-board. First, two 

 pieces are nailed on the inside of the bottom-board, each 

 piece 18^xl34xJ'^. One piece nailed 4^4 inches from 

 one side, the other 4)4 inches from the other side. These 

 pieces do not lie flat in the bottom, but stand on edge, 

 with l^i inches between them. Then the hive is fas- 

 tened on the bottom-board with the four usual staples. 

 Two division-boards, each 183/:|x934x5-l(). are now put 

 in place and crowded down tight upon the two pieces in 

 the bottom-board. These two division-boards are 4^4 

 inches from each side, leaving 2^ inches between them. 

 The four spaces at the top, at the ends of the division- 

 boards, are closed by blocks ^x^^xo-lfi, whittled enough 

 to allow them to be wedged into place. Light 1^-inch 

 wire-nails are driven through from the outside to hold 

 the division-boards in place. A block 10x2x^ is pushed 

 into the entrance centrally, and held there by a nail light- 

 ly driven in front of it. That leaves an entrance at each 

 end of the block for the two side compartments, but no 

 entrance for the middle compartment. For this purpose 

 an inch hole is bored in the back end of the hive midway 

 between the two corners, its center being about three 

 inches from the upper surface of the hive. Three boards 

 of half-inch stufip cover the three compartments, and over 

 this is an ordinarv hive-cover. 



