70 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



habits of the bee by watching and 

 studying the working of a colony in 

 such a hive than by any other method 

 we know of. 



The observatory hive here illustra- 

 ted is made as follows : The bottom 

 board a is 25 in. long, and 8 in. wide 

 by I- in. thick ; end pieces, C C, are 2 

 in. long, 3^ in. wide. | in. thick. 

 Top, F, is 2oi in. long, 5J- in. wide, ^ 

 in. thick. The strip of wood, E, is a 

 narrow piece of moulding (for fancy 

 only) nailed to the ends flush with 

 the top of the end pieces to keep the 

 latter in place. The piece B is 18^ 

 in. long, 3!- in. wide, and | in. thick. 

 This piece as well as the end pieces 



long. This leaves a space of about 

 ^ in. all around the frame. Inch holes 

 are made in the end pieces two 

 inches from the top and covered on 

 the inside with wire-cloth for venti- 

 lation. Places are also cut at the top, 

 inside of the end pieces, for the frame 

 to rest in. These should be just 

 large enough to let the top-bar of the 

 frame in, for if the frame fits too 

 loosely, more or less bees will be 

 killed. It is well to drive a nail in 

 each side of the bottom-bar of the 

 frame to rest against the glass so 

 that when the hive is turned on its 

 side the frame will be held in place. 

 Do not permit the sun to shine on 



Obseuvaxoky Hive. 



has a saw kerf in it ^ inch in from 

 the edge and I in. deep for the glass 

 to run in. The piece, E, at the front 

 end has the entrance made through 

 it at the bottom. A notch is also cut 

 in the front end of piece, B, so that the 

 bees can pass over the bottom and 

 on to the comb. The shutters, H, 

 one of which is removed and shown 

 above the hive, are 18 inches long, 

 9I in. wide and | in. thick, with 

 clamps nailed at the ends (as shown 

 in illustration), to keep them from 

 warping. The inside measurement of 

 the hive is i|- in. wide, that is, be- 

 tween the glass, lo in. deep, and 18^ 



the comb and bees over one minute 

 at a time. 



The most expensive item about 

 this hive is the glass, and that is not 

 very much. 



THE UNION BEEKEEPERS' 



CONVENTION IN 



ALBANY, N Y. 



Reported fur the American ApicuUurist. 

 J. H. Maktin. 



Ik any of the beekeepers who 

 assembled at Agricultural Hall in 

 Albany had any misgivings in re- 



