10 



PKACTICAL BEE-KEEPING. 



plank. Mart at the end of it a semicircle whose radius A g is half the 

 outside diameter of the hive. If we have nO compasses a piece of twine, 

 a tack and a pencil wiU be sufficient. Now mark a poiat I in the semi- 

 circle in the centre of the width of the board and draw g, I, i. Draw 

 the next semicircle, with i for centre, and dontinue as before Now out 

 with a bow or key-hole saw through from A to I, theo from I to m on 

 second semi-circle and so on, then cut through B and B. Each pair of 

 pieces will make a bottom board, A being brought to C, g to h, and 

 the points at B remaining together as in Fig. 6. The shaded parts will 

 supply the battens to fasten the halves togetheir and give fixing for the 

 legs. With this kind of bottom board an entrance must be cut for the 

 bees into the hive side. Let this be made from three to four inches long. 



Tig. 8. Plan fok Cutting Covehs. 



and fix to it a sliding door so arranged that the opening may be, if desired, 

 reduced to Jin. square. 



Before the hive is ready to place in the position we intend it to occupy, 

 it must be protected from the weather, as hives of sodden straw are about 

 the most wretched with which bees can be provided. It could be wished 

 that all skeps were too large to be covered by American cheese boxes, 

 but this not being the fact, we will explain how these — which may be 

 obtained for 3(J. — may be made into capital rain tight protectors good fbr 

 ten year's wear. The lid of the box placed on four inverted flower pots 

 or some bricks, as Mr. Pagden suggests, will make a fairly good bottom 

 board, while the box proper forms the case for the hive itself. Before 

 being used the bottom of it (which will be the top of the hive-case), and 

 one or two inches down the sides, should be painted well over with hot 



