20 



PRACTICAL BEE-KEEPING. 



at C D (Fig. 17). Vox the hive raider description it consists of five 

 strips or slats, clamped at their ends to prevent warping ; these are 

 eac^ 174in. long. The width of the central strip is 5in., while that of 

 the others is Sfin. The central one is pierced with a hole IJin. in 

 diameter, ■ and over this is placed our feeding stage. This consists of 

 a plate of vulcanite, perforated with several holes in a particular pattern, 

 and fixed by the screw S, around which it can, within certain limits, 

 rotate. While the stage is situated as in the figure, the feeding hole is 



beneath the part with- 

 out orifices, and the bees 

 in consequence cannot 

 reach the syrup bottle 

 which may be placed 

 upon it. At t is a stop, 

 and this prevents the 

 plate being turned fur- 

 ther to the left. When 

 food is to be given, the 

 rotation towards the 

 right brings the perfo- 

 rations in succession over 

 the feeding hole, and the 

 bees are allowed in 

 greater or less numbers 

 to take the syrup. The 

 form of the plate will ex- 

 plain how the stop (i) holds it when thb maximum of the feeding rate has 

 been reached. At B F and G H the top board is cut away iin. in width and 

 lOin. in length. Notwithstanding the removal of these parts, the board 

 completely covers the hive top, but if the outside slat (A I C K) be made 

 to change places with the one next it, E F will occupy the position E' F', 

 and will form a long hole or slot, which will give the bees ingress to the 

 super, the frame of which occupies the position of the dotted lines, aide. 

 The same being done on the other side, the bees, whose loads are to 

 become ours, are freely admitted to the storehouse we have placed, with 

 no unselfish views, for their accommodation ; while the queen, the nurses, 

 and the pollen gatherers of the centrally situated brood nest beneath are 

 prevented by an unbroken ceiling from passing up into and spoiling our 

 super. 



The supers (P Q E S T TJ, Fig. 17), were not exhibited with the hive, 

 and are those for which Mr. Lee obtained first prize at the Crystal 

 Palace ; their sides (3 4 5 6) are of glass. One is at first placed on, and 

 after the bees have well advanced with it the second is inserted beneath 

 it In shallow supers bees gtart more promptly than in deep ones, while 



V 



Fig. 19. CHBsmEE Ceowm Boabd. 



