MOVABLE-COMB HIVE. 23 



For more than half a century, hives have been in use 

 containing only one comb inclosed on both sides by glass. 

 These hives are darkened by shutters, and when opened 

 the queen is as much exposed to observation as the other 

 bees. I have discovered that, with proper precautions, 

 colonies can be made to work in observing-hives exposed 

 continually to the full light of day ; so that observations 

 may be made at all tunes, without interrupting by any 

 sudden admission of light the ordinary operations of the 

 bees. In such hives, many intelligent persons from vari- 

 ous States in the Union have seen the queen-bee deposit- 

 ing her eggs in the cells, while surrounded by an affection- 

 ate circle of her devoted children. They have also wit- 

 nessed with astonishment and delight, all the mysterious 

 steps in the process* of raising queens from eggs, which 

 with the ordinary development would have produced 

 only the common bees. Often for more than three 

 months, there has not been a day in my Apiary in which 

 some colonies were not engaged in rearing new queens to 

 supply the place of those taken from them ; and I have 

 had the pleasure of exhibiting these facts to bee-keepers 

 who never before felt willing to credit them. 



As all my hives are made so that each comb can be 

 taken out and examined at pleasure, those who use them 

 can obtain all the information which they need without 

 taking anything upon trust. May I be permitted to ex- 

 press the hope, tbat the tune is now at hand when the 

 number of practical observers will be so multiplied, and 

 the principles of bee-keeping so thoroughly understood, 

 that ignorant and designing men will not be able to im- 

 pose their conceits and falsehoods upon the public, by 

 depreciating the discoveries of those who have devoted 

 years of observation to the advancement of Apiarian 

 knowledge 1 



