WORKING EQUIPMENT 23 



New Zealand, but it is only a matter of time before the 

 whole of the States in the Commonwealth fall into line. 

 Farmers and also suburban householders who like to 

 keep a swarm or two hived in any sort of old box, will 

 probably think Acts such as the one mentioned are 

 rather uncalled for. A little deeper thought on the matter 

 will convince these good people of its justice. There are 

 hundreds of apiarists engaged in the industry as the sole 

 means of livelihood. Many have a considerable number 

 of bee-farms equipped with expensive honey plant, the 

 colonies of bees numbering some hundreds, and a large 

 capital is required to operate the business. 



Alongside this man of many hives (who makes a 

 speciality of bee-farming) is the neighbour who has one 

 or two swarms in kerosene cases. He gives them no 

 attention whatever except to take once a year what little 

 honey they have gathered. If the bees are diseased he 

 is unaware of it, and consequently takes no steps to effect 

 a cure. He probably leaves many little pieces of- honey- 

 comb about for the bees to clean up. Herein lies the 

 trouble : honey is the medium that carries the disease 

 ' ' Foul br ood " to his neighbour who has hundreds of pounds 

 at stake. Here is the position, the man who places little or 

 no value on his box hive constitutes himself a continual 

 menace and source of expense to his neighbour. There- 

 fore, the days of the box-hive are numbered ; with its two 

 cross sticks — like the perches of a bird cage — to prevent 

 the combs falling from their attachments during the hot 

 weather, it was never convenient, mostly diseased, and 

 was by proclamation proscribed in Victoria from January 

 1913. 



PATENT HIVES. 



Are we bound to use one particular expensive hive to 

 comply with the provisions of the Act! No, decidedly not. 

 A hive to meet all requirements must be what the Act 

 describes as a " properly constituted frame-hive, ' ' that is 

 the hive must embody the important principle of a "bee 

 space." This is usually regarded as a quarter of an 

 inch separating the various portions of a patent hive. 



