88 



BEE-BOXES. 



of the board. The sloping direction thus given 

 will, in case of beating rain or condensed steam 

 falling upon it, prevent any wet from lodging with- 

 in the hive. The floor must also be clamped at 

 the ends, to prevent warping, though the superin- 

 cumbent weight renders it less liable to be warped 

 than the top. Either on the right or left hand 

 side of the entrance, as may be most convenient, a 

 groove must be cut half an inch deep and half an 

 inch wide ; to this groove a slide must be fitted 

 (made to run easily), for the purpose of closing the 

 box, and preventing the egress or ingress of the 

 bees, as occasion may require. 



A centre board between each tier of boxes will 

 likewise be convenient ; it should be of the same 

 size as the floor, and have an oblong hole about 

 six inches by four in the middle, to give, liberty to 

 the bees to pass from box to box. Apiaries should 

 always have a few supernumerary boards of each 

 sort, and also some supernumerary boxes. 



