TAKING HONEY. 173 



are in possession of" The ancient Bee-master's Fare- 

 well" will perceive that I have made some altera- 

 tions in the boxes of Keys and some additions to 

 them : the principal of these are the sinking of the 

 entrances in the floor boards, instead of having 

 them cut in the lower edges of the boxes ; having 

 fixed bars upon the tops of the boxes, instead of 

 Keys's loose ones, and the use of middle boards. 

 The first was my own suggestion, the two last were 

 improvements made by Mr. Walond. Entrances 

 made in the floor boards enable the apiarian to 

 place his boxes upon the boards in whatever direc- 

 tion he chooses, and render sliding shutters in the 

 upper boxes unnecessary. The loose bars were 

 inconvenient, from the bees attaching their combs 

 to the sides of the boxes, which they almost al- 

 ways do, as well as from their attaching every 

 comb to two or three bars. The middle boards 

 facilitate the introduction of the dividers, secure 

 the apiator against the effects of any little irregu- 

 larity in the adaptation of the boxes to each other, 

 at the time of adding or taking away, and form a 

 good foundation for a superstructure of cell- work ; 

 for sometimes the bees depart from their usual 

 practice of suspending their combs from the roofs 

 of the boxes, and build from below upwards. 



It is the usual custom in this country, to sacri- 

 fice the lives of the bees, in order to get possession 



