CHAPTER VII. 



ON THE ADVANTAGES WHICH OUGHT TO BE FOUND IN 

 AN IMPROVED HIVE. 



In this chapter, 1 shall enumerate certain very desirable, 

 if not necessary, qualities of a good hive. I have neither 

 the taste nor the time for the invidious work of disparaging 

 other hives. I prefer inviting the attention of bee-keepers 

 to the importance of these requisites ; some of which, as I 

 believe, are contained in no hive but my own. Let them 

 be most carefully examined, and if they commend them- 

 selves to the enlightened judgment and good common sense 

 of cultivators, let them be employed to lest the comparative 

 merits of the various kinds of hives in common use. 



1. A good hive should give the Apiarian a perfect con- 

 trol over all the combs : so that any of them may be taken 

 out at pleasure ; and this, without cutting them, or enraging 

 the bees. 



This advantage is possessed by no hive in use, except my 

 own ; and it forms the very foundation of an improved and 

 profitable system of bee-culture. Unless the combs are at 

 the entire command of the Apiarian, he can have no effect- 

 ual control over his bees. They swarm too much or too 

 little, just as suits themselves, and their owner is almost 

 entirely dependent upon their caprice. 



