136 HIVES. 



widens, the foundations of other combs are laid at 

 each side, and all are carried down uniformly. 

 Thus, straw hives as well as the cavities of trees, 

 terminating in a cone, are found to have remarkably 

 uniform comb, there being but a slight curvature 

 near the edges. Plate vn, fig. 20 represents a cross 

 section of the above straw hive. As the combs ex- 

 tend downwards, the cells near the edge of each are 

 lengthened and filled with honey. This causes the 

 adjoining comb to diverge from a straight line. The 

 cells at the edge of this comb are lengthened in like 

 manner, causing the third comb to diverge still farther 

 but without lessening the breeding capacity. Thus 

 it will be seen that the bees invariably diverge their 

 combs from a straight line, by placing ttrood in one 

 part and stores in another of the same comb. 



It has been supposed that the reason why bees in 

 straw hives wintered better and increased faster than 

 in those constructed of other materials, was their 

 non-conducting properties. This is doubtless true in 

 part, but quite as much is due to the regularity of 

 the combs, and to concentration of heat, whereby 

 breeding and the building of comb is greatly facili- 

 tated. 



BOX AND CHAMBER HIVES 



Are made of boards, the capacity and shape ac- 

 cording to the fancy of the builder. 



The Box Hive is managed in the same manner as 

 the " bee-gum." Holes may be made in the top of 



