REQUISITES OF AN IMPROVED HIVE. 97 



6. It should afford suitable facilities for inspecting, at all 

 times, the condition of the bees. 



When the sides of my hive are of glass, as soon as the 

 outer cover is elevated, the Apiarian has a view of the 

 interior, and can often at a glance, determine its condition. 

 If the hive is of wood, or if he wishes to make a more 

 thorough examination, in a few minutes every comb may 

 be taken out, and separately inspected. In this way, the 

 exact condition of every colony may always be easily as- 

 certained, and nothing leA, as in the common hives, to mere 

 conjecture. This is an advantage, the importance of which 

 it would be difficult to over estimate. (See Chapters on 

 the loss of the queen, and on the Bee Moth.) 



7. While the hive is of a size adapted to the natural in- 

 stincts of the bee, it should be capable of b^ing readily ad- 

 justed to the wants of small colonies. 



If a small swarm is put into a large hive, they will be 

 unable to concentrate their animal heat, so as to work to 

 the best advantage, and will often become discouraged, and 

 abandon their hive. If they are put into a small hive, its 

 limited dimensions will not afford them suitable accommo- 

 dations for increase. By means of my movable partition, 

 my hive can, in a few moments, be adapted to the wants of 

 any colony however small, and can, with equal facility, be 

 enlarged from time to time, or at once restored to its full 

 dimensions. 



8. It should allow the combs to be removed without any 

 jarring. 



Bees manifest the utmost aversion to any sudden jar ; 

 for it is in this way, that their combs are loosened and de- 

 tached. However firmly fastened the frames may be in 

 my hive, they can all be loosened in a few moments, with- 

 out injuring or exciting the bees. 

 9 



