BOARDS. 95 



CHAPTEE XVIII. 



BOAKDS. 



Boards should be about IJ incli wider than the hives 

 standing on them. They are best when made of one piece, 

 that is, ■without a seam of junction ; but if they cannot be 

 cut whole from a deal board wide enough, they can be 

 made of two pieces well joined. But whether of one piece 

 Or two, it is necessary to nail two bars on the under side 

 of each board, to keep it from warping or twisting. The 

 wood of which they are made should be either f or 1 inch 

 thick. A good board weighs 4 lb. 



The flight-board should be seven inches in diameter. 

 Small flight-boards are objectionable, for the bees return- 

 ing with heavy loads often miss them. This is not all ; 

 for bees require hreathing room at the doors of their hives, 

 as well as a good broad landing-stage. All birds and in- 

 sects fill their bodies with air before they take wing. A 

 pheasant hops while he is filling his body with air ; a 

 pigeon does it by taking two or three inspirations. If the 

 pheasant is suddenly disturbed, and has to rise without 

 hopping a bit, he does rise, but so heavily and slowly — 

 with a great cackling noise — that he is often knocked 

 down by the shot of the sportsman ere he gets a fair start. 

 If bees have a broad flight-board they run like the phea- 

 sant ; but if the board be small, there is often at the doors 

 of strong hives a crowd and a crush and a want of free- 



