52 THE APIARY. 



boxes is a double zinc tube, reaching down a little below 

 the middle : the outer tube is a casing- of plain zinc, with 

 holes, about a quarter of an inch wide, dispersed over it ; 

 the inside one is of perforated zinc, with' openings so 

 small as to prevent the escape of the bees ; a flange or 

 rim keeps the tubes suspended through a hole made td 

 receive it. The object in having double tubing is to 

 allow the inner one to be drawn up, and the perforations 

 to be opened by pricking out the wax, or rather the 

 propolis, with which bees close all openings in their 

 hives. These tubes admit a thermometer, enclosed in a 

 cylindrical glass, to be occasionally inserted during the 

 gathering season ; it requires to be left in the tube for 

 about a quarter of an hour, and on its withdrawal, if 

 found indicating ninety degrees or more, ventilation 

 must be adopted to lower the temperature. The orna- 

 mental zinc top D must be left raised, and is easily kept 

 in that position by putting the perforated part a litde on 

 one side. 



The boxes before described are placed on a raised 

 double floor-board, extending the whole length — viz., 

 about thirty-six inches. The floor-board projects a few 

 inches in front. In the centre is the entrance (as our 

 engraving only shows the back of the hive, we must 

 imagine it on the other side) ; it is made by cutting a 

 sunken way, of about half an inch deep and three inches 

 wide, in the floor-board, communicating only with the 

 middle box ; it is through this entrance alone that the 



