44 TUB COTTAGE AND FARM BEE KEEPER. 



with the bars, in order that the crown' board, which may be of wood or 

 straw, with a large hole in it, may rest flat upon all. This, as in the 

 former instance, will be screwed to the hoop, whether by the use of 

 hinges, or long and well-greased screws let perpendicularly through it 

 into the hoop. The crown board also must be of doubled wood. A 

 little nicety is required in the careful adjustment of the several parts 

 of this hive, but this will be readily attended to by an intelligent 

 workman. 



As soon as constructed, every sort of straw hive should receive two 

 coatings of thick paint, and be laid aside till wanted. It need hardly 

 be stated, that all hives likely to be wanted, should be got ready early 

 in the year, that the smell of paint may quite go off before use, asbees 

 are not unapt to leave newly-painted hives. Every winter should see 

 a fresh coat of paint given to St the hives in an apiary ; this will ma- 

 terially tend to their preservation for a good many years. As -a 

 sequel to these instructions, let me add, that a sufficient stock of both 

 sizes must be kept constantly on hand, to be in readiness at any mo- 

 ment ; those of either size being made of exactly the same diameter, 

 particularly at their base, for facility in driving. There will, of course, 

 be required a greater number of the smaller size, two of which arc 

 necessary to each summer, or spoliation colony. 



These are the only hives that I at all recommend for an out-door 

 apiary. Of the use of boxes in such a situation, even by the amateur, 

 I cannot speak too deprecatingly, save only of the very ingenious 

 double-bar hives, of Mr. Taylor's invention ; their expense, however, 

 will ever prove a serious objection to their general adoption ; and I 

 am disposed to question even their perfect suitability to stand the vi- 

 cissitudes of our English climate, with comfort to the bees, and profit to 

 their owner. It is universally allowed that Mr. Nutt's hives have proved 

 a signal failure, wherever located in the open air; in proof whereof, it 

 is only necessary to point to the infinite modifications which the prin- 

 ciple of their construction has undergone to suit each person's experi- 

 ence, and to remedy its thousand inconveniences and defects. And I 

 think, if the truth were known, many a complaint has arisen, and will 

 yet arise, against even Mr. Taylor's hives of wood. It stands to rea- 

 son, that wooden boxes, unprotected by a bee shed, are both too cold 

 in winter, and too hot in summer, for an exposed situation ; hence the 

 almost universal outcry against them throughout the length and breadth 

 of the land. 



