16 



PEACTICAL BEE-KEEPING. 



super cover, the upper half of what may be denominated the body,, 

 and the hive proper, in the lower poriion of which breeding is carried 

 on, and where the bees pass the winter. In front of the lower part 

 may be seen the porch, with its roof consistiag of a stout piece of 

 pine, about Sin. wide, and running completely along the hive face. 

 This is chamfered off towards the end, the more effectually to carry 

 away drip, and has a channel near its front edge, which acts as a 

 gutter, by which the rain is conveyed to its ends. This gutter is shown 

 in the cross section, Fig. 17, at E. The bottom board of the hive pro- 

 jects 24ia. along the front, so as to form a very convenient alight- 

 ing board ; lOin. of the 

 central part of this 

 is grooved, as seen in 

 Fig. 16, aothat should it 

 be reached by driviug 

 rain the convex parts re- 

 main free of water, af- 

 fording the bees a dry 

 passage way to the inte- 

 rior. In showery weather,, 

 in early spring, bees are 

 often sacrificed by being 

 turned wings downwards 

 before the hive door 

 upon a chilly pool ; but 

 by adopting this form 

 this cause of loss is im- 

 mensely reduced. The 

 flight hole is also lOin. 

 in length, and is formed 

 by cutting from the hive 

 wall a piece a full ^in. 

 deep (see G, Fig. 17), F, 

 Fig. 17, is screwed on 

 beneath the porch roof 

 give to it additional 

 stability and also to provide the groove for two sliding shutters (shown 

 in Fig. 16), by which the entrance way may be regulated as occasion may 

 require. Upon the upper part of the ends of these are two small studs 

 preventing the shutters from meeting, so that the .entrance can only 

 be reduced to about half an inch. This arrangement prevents the acci- 

 dental closing of the hive mouth, to the destruction of the colony, while 

 it admits of its (i.e., the mouth's) immediate lessening in the event of 

 robbing, or for the purpose of wintering. Should, however, the absolute 



Fig. 17 



Cheshire Bau FeamjS Hive. 

 Wectiohal View. 



