HIVES AN^D BOXES. 117 



the drainage, and any one can easily imagine its sticky, 

 unattractive condition. A customer will often take a 

 number of smaller bases, in spite of the extra glass, 

 rather than one large one, in order to avoid the leakage 

 caused by removing one comb at a time, as wanted. 



It also is open to the very serious objection of attract- 

 ing marauding bees, as the season of the year precludes 

 their being otherwise busy. I have known grocers to be 

 BO seriously annoyed in this way as to be obliged to close 

 their stores. It is very difficult to sell honey to parties 

 who have handled it in such an undesirable shape. 



This is a matter of importance. I am not speaking 

 from limited knowledge, but from extensive observation. 

 We must look well to the causes that operate against the 

 sale of honey. 



TWO-COMB BOXES. 



Very many forms of two-comb boxes have been in use 

 for a long time, with more or less desirable features. I 

 shall describe but one, which recent experience commends 

 as exceedingly practicable. In describing this box, I shall 

 consider the size to be used on the Quinby hive, and 

 weighing 5 lbs. when filled. 



The top and bottom are made of pine, '/^ in. thick, 6'/^ in. 

 long, by 4'/, in. wide. These are designed to set at right 

 angles to the frames, both at top and sides. 

 Three V/^ in. holes are made in the bottom. 

 The posts at each comer are y^ in. square, 

 and 5 in. high. This constitutes the entire 

 wood-work of the box. When nailed to- 

 gether, the outside of the posts should stand 

 ~^_ 40. Yg in. in from the corner, so that when 

 TIN FOR COB- packed closely together, there will be less 

 NEB POSTS, ^^jjggj. q{ breakage. The glass is held in place 

 by tins, driven diagonally through the center of the post, 

 and clinched, (fig. 40). It will be seen that these ting 



