25 



The bottom-board should project about six inches in front of the hive 

 so as to provide a large landing place for the bees, something very essential 

 during the summer months when they arrive heavily laden with nectar 

 and pollen. 



The covers, in the opinion of the inspectors, should be of the telescope 

 variety, that is to say there should be a downward rim of at least two 

 inches to slip over the sides of the hive so as to prevent the ingress of rain. 

 In many districts the wet winters and very dry summers are rather trying 

 on wood-work so they recommend that the covers have galvanized iron or 

 zinc tops, which add but a little to the cost. 



A timely warning may not be out of place here. To any one with little 

 r no experience in beekeeping anything that looks like a hive is a hive. 

 As a matter of fact it is not necessarily so. Bees work to very accurate 

 dimensions and a hive maker must do the same. First-class hives are made 

 nly in factories where large quantities are turned out by the aid of 

 pecial machinery from carefully selected wood thoroughly seasoned. The 

 best of hives are not dear when one considers the beauty of their accuracy. 

 Second-class goods made in a planing mill when business is slack are a 

 little cheaper, but the saving in price is not an economy, it is useless 

 waste of money. 



MECHANICAL CAUSES OF FAILURE WITH ORDINARY HIVES. 



Before he starts out to search for Foul Brood the inspector's experience 

 has ordinarily been limited to hives that have been kept in rather good 

 condition. He has usually a few beekeeping friends who visit among 

 themselves during the summer, comparing methods and experiences, and 

 it is needless to say that all in all their apiaries are at about the same 

 condition of equipment and efficiency. He conies to believe that all bee- 

 keepers have as much pleasure in keeping bees as he has and care for 

 them accordingly, so it is rather a shock to him when he enters a strange 

 apiary to find that to open a hive he really needs a hatchet, crowbar, saw 

 and butcher's knife. The very first hive entered by one of the inspectors 

 was built up in this fashion: The bottom-chamber consisted of an ordin- 

 ary packing box from which the bottom had been removed. Instead of 

 frames the owner had run bars across, hoping that the bees would take 

 the hint and build nice straight combs, but they ignored the suggestion 

 and constructed them at a forty-five degree angle with the entrance. Above 

 this chamber was an ordinary section super in really good condition. 

 Above this had been placed a heavy canvas cloth, and the bees had by per- 

 severing effort made a number of large holes in it. The cloth itself was 

 made firm and strong by liberal applications of propolis and wax. The^ 

 third storey was a duplicate of the bottom-chamber. At one time it must 

 have been the limit of height, for a canvas cloth also rested upon it, and 

 of course channels of communication had been pierced through it. Cham- 

 ber number four was an ordinary super without frames or sections, so the 

 bees had a splendid chance to still further vary the style of their archi- 

 tecture, and they took advantage of the opportunity. A high gable roof 

 crowned the structure. Since there was no obstruction to hinder they 

 quite naturally built their combs into the apex. To still further compli- 

 cate matters the cover telescoped a couple of inches over the upper chamber 

 so that at first glance it seemed impossible to make an entrance. 



