Box Hives. 173 



CHAPTER V. 

 Hives and Sections. 



An early choice among the innumerable hives is of 

 course demanded; and here let me state with emphasis, 

 that none of the standard hives are now covered by pat- 

 ents, so let no one buy rights. Success by the skillful 

 apiarist with almost any hive is possible. Yet, without 

 question, some hives are far superior to others, and for cer- 

 tain uses, and with certain persons, some hives are far 

 preferable to others, though all may be meritorious. As a 

 change in hives, after one is once engaged in apiculture, 

 involves much time, labor and expense, this becomes an 

 important question, and one worthy of earnest considera- 

 tion by the prospective apiarist. I shall give it a first place, 

 and a thorough consideration, in this discussion of practical 

 apiculture. 



BOX-HIVES. 



I feel free to say that no person who reads, thinks and 

 studies — and success in apiculture can be promised to no 

 other — will ever be content to use the old box-hives. In 

 fact, thought and intelligence, which imply an eagerness 

 to investigate, are essential elements in the apiarist's char- 

 acter, and to such a one a box-hive would be valued just in 

 proportion to the amount of kindling-wood it contained. I 

 shall entirely ignore box-hives in the following discussions, 

 for I believe no sensible, intelligent apiarists, such as read 

 books, will tolerate them, and that, supposing they would, 

 it would be an expensive mistake which I have no right to 

 encourage, in fact am bound to discourage, not only for 

 the benefit of individuals but also for the art itself. 



To be sure of success, the apiarist must be able to inspect 

 the whole interior of the hive at his pleasure, must be able 

 to exchange combs from one hive to another, and to regu- 

 late the movements of the bees — by destroying queen- 

 cells, by giving or withholding drone-comb, by extracting 



