SOUTHERN BEE CULTURE 33 



The whole operation for each colony is very short, simple, and easy, and 

 not much unpleasant work is involved. If there is any honey left in scat- 

 tered comb around the apiary, let the bees eat it out as you go, and they will 

 give no trouble by robbing. Of course, contract the entrances of the weak 

 colonies after they are transferred. I have transferred 147 colonies in one 

 apiary thus, with good results. I have given the method to other bee-keepers 

 and farmer bee-keepers, and they claim it a "success, and have adopted it. 



MODERN BEE-HIVES. 



Modern or patent hives, as they are better known, are the only hives 

 bees can be kept in successfully, for they are induced to build their comb 

 straight in movable frames in them, thus giving the bee-keeper access to all 

 comb, which can be easily removed, and the needs of the bees detected and 

 supplied. The old-style box hives have been sufficiently tried in all sec- 

 tions of the South, and they are a part of the cause of bee-keeping being 

 where it is here now; and prejudice against the modern bee-hives has also 

 been a part of the cause. The needs of the bees are always located some- 

 where in their comb, and the old-style hives debar the bee-keeper from sup- 

 plying them. 



People have been eager to reach after modem improvements along their 

 lines of business; but modern hives have not been bought for their apiaries, 

 and bee-keeping has not had what was due it in the way of improvements. 

 Modern hives are the foundation upon which bee culture is built; and how 

 can it stand or make progress without adopting them? Our forefathers in 

 bee culture invented them and handed them down to us at a reasonable price ; 

 and all along improvements have been added until it seems perfection has 

 been reached, and that they are as convenient for the bees as they are for 

 the apiarist. 



THE CONSTRUCTION OF MODERN HIVES. 



There are several styles of "modern hives in use, but I will give only 

 three, which are most commonly in use for comb, chunk, and extracted honey 

 here in the South. 



Modern hives are complicated, -constructed or made up of many pieces, 

 which can not be avoided; and if they are not properly put together, their 

 good qualities are spoiled. Many of them have been thus put together here, 

 and the result is there are many dissatisfied purchasers, because the hives 

 are not what they expected them to be in construction, and they failed to 



