THE MATERIALS OF HIVES. 89 



to adapt her unnatural tenements, invented not because 

 the bee needs them, but because this is a means available 

 for a little change. ' Patent men ' have found the people 

 generally too ignorant of apiarian science. But let us 

 hope that their days of prosperity, in this line, are about 

 numbered." 



Mr Quinby, who is one of the most enlightened and 

 common-sense bee-keepers living, knows well, that where 

 profit is the object, common hives are the best. If we 

 were to give full expression to our opinion of the various 

 kinds of hives now being sold in. this country at exorbi- 

 tant prices, who would venture to protect us from the 

 hurricane of abuse that would be poured upon us ? 



Hear what Mr Quinby says: "We have faithfully 

 supported a host of speculators on our business for a long 

 time ; often not caring one straw about our success, after 

 pocketing the fee of successful ' humbuggery.' One is no 

 sooner gone than we are beset with another with some- 

 thing altogether different, and, of course, the acme of per- 

 fection." 



In making these statements and quotations, we know 

 that the prejudices of some of our readers will be offended. 

 "We are sorry for this, but we cannot help it ; we like to 

 be honest. 



To have done, let me again say that weU-made straw 

 hives of considerable dimensions are better than wood 

 hives of any description ; better for the swarming system 

 of management, and better for the non-swarming ; better 

 for comb-building and better for honey-gathering ; better 

 for health and better for ventilation ; equal in every way 

 to wood for supers, better for nadirs, better for winter, 

 and better for summer. 



I am not aware that good skeps (straw hives) are made 

 in England; hence my order goes to Scotland, through Mr 



