UEE 



BEE 



vated hive over it, they may be left ] 

 in that situation till morning, when I 

 the bees will be found to have taken 

 possession of their native hive, and, 

 if the season proves line, may replen- 

 ish what they have lost. 



BEES, DISEASES OF. In the 

 spring they are subject to a dysen- 

 tery, known by the abundance of ref- 

 use, and an odour of putrefaction 

 within the hive, which should smell 

 like wax. It is said that a little bran 

 dy added to their sirup food cures 

 this complaint. They are also at- 

 tacked by a louse, which makes them 

 irritable, but which may be removed 

 from their bodies by brushing them 

 with the feather of a pen. 



BEE HIVE. The dwelling of 

 the bees. The simplest form is a 

 small barrel of four gallons, or the 

 hollowed part of the trunk of a tree, 

 or a thimble of rye straw holding 

 about three pecks, and of a conical 

 figure. Whatever the structure, it 

 should be tight, solid, and dry, and so 

 arranged as to admit of inspection. 

 There is no subject on which so much 

 ingenuity has been expended as the 

 construction of beehives, the object 

 being the separation of honey with- 

 out disturbance to the labourers. The 

 annexed is as good as any of these 

 improved hives, as it has the follow- 

 ing recommendations: 1st. It is ca- 

 pable of enlargement or contraction ; 

 2d. May be opened without disturb- 

 ance, for cleaning, taking honey, &c. 

 It is known as the section hive, and 

 consists of two, three, four, or more 

 trays of similar size, fitting one above 

 the other, as C C D {Fig. 1). These 

 trays may be fourteen inches square 

 and five deep (Fig-. 2), the uppermost 

 being provided with a cover to keep 

 off rain. Through the bottom of each 

 tray or box, slits, or holes about three 

 fourths of an inch large, are perfora- 

 ted, the number being such that the 

 bees may pass readily into an upper 

 compartment to manufacture. The 

 apertures, C C, represent doors for 

 the bees, as well as windows through 

 which to examine their work, and 

 should be covered when not used. D 

 is the entrance first used, until the 



II 



Fig. 1. 



bees are settled in the upper divis- 

 ions. The compartments are fasten- 

 ed together temporarily by buttons, 

 and should be made tight by cement 

 or coarse wax. To use this hive, the 

 doors are all closed but the lower- 

 most, into which the bees enter ; they 

 ascend from tray to tray, until they 

 reach the uppermost, and here begin 

 their work upon sticks properly pla- 

 ced ; or, instead of making this divis- 

 ion open, there are placed over the 

 chinks jars, small boxes, or other re- 

 ceptacles, into which the honey is to 

 be collected : the bees work in these 

 As soon as they are engaged, an upper 

 door can be opened for their accom- 

 modation, and the progress of the 

 work can be watched through proper 

 openings of glass, and by removing the 

 top. As soon as these boxes are filled, 

 ttiey can be taken out by passing a 

 sharp knife between the lowest edge 



85 



