262 THE APIARY. 



This is the most important of the exhibitions in this department. 



f he " bees at work " are in hives open to the inspection of visitors, 

 Jie bees passing out through tubes to the open air, and not being 

 visible within the building, except through the glass of the hives; 

 The collection of hives of all kinds is complete and interesting, and 

 we subjoin a figure of the stand (see page loz) to show how bees 

 as well as hives may be exhibited conveniently. Amongst the 

 various contrivances exhibited by Messrs. Neighbour, Nutt's Col- 

 lateral Hive has an important place, and though very fancifully 

 got up, and therefore very attractive to amateur bee-keepers, we 

 must make the same objection to it as we have above to other 

 forms of the same from different makers. The Single-box Hive, 

 the Taylor's Shallow Eight-bar Hive, are the best bee-boxes in 

 this collection,' and every way admirable. Here are no fancy 

 ventilators which the bees will close up, nor provoking side 

 boxes which they will hesitate to enter, and from which it will be 

 hard to dislodge them in order to get them to winter in the 

 " pavilion." Whoever begins bee-keeping with either of these 

 will have a fair chance of success. The most popular of the 

 hives is that called the " Improved Cottage." Its popularity, no 

 doubt, is due to the compromise between wood and straw which it 

 accomplishes. People cannot get rid of the idea that a bee-hive 

 must be made of straw, though it is a material so ill-adapted for 

 union of swarms, supering, and other operations of advanced bee- 

 culture. The "Cottager's Hive" is well adapted for "those 

 apiarians who are desirous of setting up their poorer neighbours 

 in the way of keeping bees on the improved system." It consists 

 of stock-hive, small super-hive, and straw cover, and is on the 

 principle of Payne's, which, has been most successful among 

 country-people who have got so far as to prefer keeping to kill- 

 ing their bees. The " Woodbury Bar and Frame Hive " is a 

 novel construction, combining all the best features of the best bar 

 boxes, and adding some new ones of great value and importance. 

 We recommend every bee-keeper to become possessed of this 



