Box Hives. 173 
CHAPTER V. 
HIveEs AND SECTIONS. 
An early choice among the innumerable hives is of 
course demanded; and here let me state with emphasis, 
that none of the standard hives are now covered by pat- 
ents, so let no one buy rights. Success by the skillful 
apiarist with almost any hive is possible. Yet, without 
question, some hives are far superior to others, and for cer- 
tain uses, and with certain persons, some hives are far 
preferable to others, though all may be meritorious. Asa 
change in hives, after one is once engaged in apiculture, 
involves much time, labor and expense, this becomes an 
important question, and one worthy of earnest considera- 
tion by the prospective apiarist. I shall give it a first place, 
and a thorough consideration, in this discussion of practical 
apiculture. 
BOX-HIVES, 
I feel free to say that no person who reads, thinks and 
studies—and success in apiculture can be promised to no 
other—will ever be content to use the old box-hives. In 
fact, thought and intelligence, which imply an eagerness 
to investigate, are essential elements in the apiarist’s char- 
acter, and to such a one a box-hive would be valued just in 
proportion to the amount of kindling-wood it contained. I 
shall entirely ignore box-hives in the following discussions, 
for I believe no sensible, intelligent apiarists, such as read 
books, will tolerate them, and that, supposing they would, 
it would be an expensive mistake which I have no right to 
encourage, in fact am bound to discourage, not only for 
the benefit of individuals but also for the art itself. 
To be sure of success, the apiarist must be able to inspect 
the whole interior of the hive at his pleasure, must be able 
to exchange combs from one hive to another, and to regu- 
late the movements of the bees—by destroying queen- 
cells, by giving or withholding drone-comb, by extracting 
