154 



DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



- 53. 



According to the views of Mr. Harasti, a skillful bee-cultiva- 

 tor, as quoted in the "Farmer's Encyclopedia," a good bee-hive 

 ought to possess the following properties : First, it should be 

 capable of enlargement or contraction according to the size of 

 the swarm. Secondly, it should admit of being opened with- 

 out disturbing the bees, either for the purpose of cleaning it 

 from insects, increasing or dividing the swarm, etc. Thirdly, 

 it should be so constructed that the produce may be removed 

 without injury to the bees. Fourthly, it should be internally 

 clean, smooth, and free from cracks or flaws. All these prop- 

 erties seem best united in the section-hive, which is constituted 



of two, three, four, or more 

 square boxes of similar size 

 as to width, placed over 

 each other. Such hives 

 are cheap, and so simple 

 that almost any one can 

 construct them. 



The boxes A, B, C, D 

 may be made from ten to 

 fourteen inches square and 

 about five inches in depth, 

 inside measure. Every 

 bee-keeper should have his 

 A SECTIONAL HIVE. boxes made of the same 



size, so as to fit on to each other. Every hive must have a 

 common top-board, a, which should project over the sides of the 

 hive. The top-board of each section should have about sixteen 

 holes bored through at equal distances from each other, and not 

 larger than three fourths or smaller than four fifths of an inch. 

 Or, instead of such holes, chinks of proper size may be cut 

 through to allow the bees to pass up and down. At the lower 

 part of each box or section, in front, there must be an aperture 

 or little door, c, c, c, d, just high enough to let the bees pass, 

 and about an inch and a half wide. The lowermost aperture, 

 d, is to be left open at first, and when the hive is filled the upper 



