410 BOARD OF AGKICULTUKE. [Pub. Doc. 



made in several patterns, Avith a variety of fixtures, to suit- 

 the fancy of the purchaser. 



Mucli pleasure may be had and information gained by the 

 study of bees Ivept in an observation hive. Sucli a hive is 

 shown in Fiij. 3. It is constructed with fflass sides, and 

 holds a single frame of comb. At B is a sliding box cov- 

 ered with Avire cloth ; this can be raised or lowered to open 

 or close the entrance to the front of the hive. At A is 

 shown a feeder, consisting of a bottle through the stopper 

 of which is a glass tube one-half inch in diameter. The 

 bottle, after being filled with a saturated solution of granu- 

 lated sugar in water, is inverted, and the glass tube placed 

 in an opening in the cover, protected on the inside by 

 means of a piece of Avire cloth. As fast as the bees remove 

 the syrup from the end of the tube, air enters the bottle and 

 more syru}) runs down upon the Avire cloth. 



The hive should be arranoed so that the sides maA' be 

 covered to keep out the light when the bees are not under 

 observation, otherAvise the glass Avill be covered Avith Avax 

 and glue by the bees for the purpose of darkening the hive. 



When a frame of brood covered Avith bees provided Avith 

 a queen is placed in this glass-Avalled hive, it is possible to 

 observe them at their Avork. The movements of the queen 

 may be Avatched as she travels over the comb depositing 

 eggs in the empty cells. The development of the eggs into 

 larvae and later pu});e, the capping of the brood and its es- 

 cape from the cells Avhen fully develo})ed, the storing of the 

 honey and })ollen, — all may be studied at Avill. If the 

 queen is removed, the process of queen cell building and 

 the rearing of the new queen may be observed at every 

 stage. 



Such a hive ma}' be })laced in a living room, schoolroom 

 or other i)lace desired, and the bees alloAved to ii}^ to the 

 fields through a convenient opening made in the Avail, Avin- 

 dow sash or frame. Whenever the (H)mb is fully built down 

 and completely filled with honey and brood, it is necessary 

 to replace it with a new sheet of comb upon Avhich there is 

 room for the bees to Avork, otherAvise the queen, finding her 

 quarters restricted, Avill leave the hive, taking most of the 



