io6 THE APIARY. 



a full view of the little labourers as they crowded in, 

 and the sig-ht of them very much enhanced the interest 

 of visitors examining the hive. 



Since the time before mentioned, we have exhibited 

 bees at the meetings of the Bath and West of England 

 Agricultural Society at Bristol, and of the Royal Agri- 

 cultural Society at Newcastle, in 1864. On both occa- 

 sions, further proof was given that this hive admirably 

 answers the purpose intended, and it afforded pleasure 

 and interest to many thousands of visitors. 



The unicomb hive may be stocked in two ways, 

 which have been previously referred to. The bee- 

 keeper may either select the comb upon which the queen 

 is found, and put it into the hive, and so form an arti- 

 ficial swarm, or he may take six brood-combs from a 

 hive, and so stock the unicomb at once, which we did 

 for the show at Exeter. 



The former plan is, perhaps, the most advisable, 

 because new comb has to be built within the five frames"; 

 for, be it remembered, in this case five empty frames 

 must be put in. It is 9, better plan still, if artificial combs 

 are placed in each frame, so as to afford an interesting 

 opportunity of watching the formation of the cells 

 therein. The combs are sure to be dark in colour when 

 taken from a stock-hive, and new combs, being whiter, 

 have a better appearance in the hive. The comb upon 

 which the queen was introduced may be taken away 

 after the artificial swarm has made combs within some 



