THE WOODBURY UNICOMB HIVE. 107 



of the other five frames ; when the queen is on one of the 

 new combs, opportunity may easily be taken for opening 

 the hive and removing the old dark conib. The bees 

 can easily be shaken or brushed off the comb, and will 

 return to the hive. The comb, with the unhatched brood, 

 may be deposited in any square hive that needs strength- 

 ening. We mention this, to show how to obtain a hive 

 with entirely fine white comb. 



If the possessor of a square Woodbury frame-hive 

 wishes to start a strong unicomb hive, and does not 

 object to appropriate the stock, he must take out of the 

 Woodbury hive any six combs on the frames, and put 

 the unicomb in its place so as to receive all the returning 

 bees that happen to be abroad; the rerna.ining four 

 combs, supposing there are ten, can be inserted in any 

 other frame-hives in the garden in which there may be 

 vacancies. 



We have had this hive in operation, in the manneir 

 last described, during the summer of 1863, and found it 

 to answer remarkably well. On a lawn, placed on a 

 suitable ornamental stand, it formed a pleasing object, 

 besides affording great interest and instruction. 



In unicomb hives stocked with a natural swarm (as is 

 generally the plan), there is considerable difficulty in 

 keeping the bees alive through the winter. In a hive 

 where Hag. combs are removable, no loss of bees need 

 be occasioned. We do not recommend the hive we are 

 now describing as a winter residence for bees. For 



