18 THE APIAEY ; OR, 



double zinc tube reacbing down a little below tbe 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 to receive it. 

 The object in havjng 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 90 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 little on one side. 



The boxes before described are placed on a raised double floor- 

 board, extending the whole length, viz., about 36 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 3 inches wide, in the floor- 

 board communicating only with the middle box; it is through 

 this entrance alone that the bees find their way into the hive, 

 — access to the end boxes and the super being obtained from the 

 inside. An ahghting board is fitted close under the entrance for 

 the bees to settle upon when returning laden with honey; this 

 alighting board is removable for the convenience of packing. The 

 centre, or stock-box. A, called by Mr. Nutt the Pavilion of Nature, 

 is the receptacle for the swarm ; for stocking this, it will be 

 necessary to tack the side tins so as to close the side openings in the 

 partition, and to tack some perferated zinc over the holes at top ; the 

 swarm may then be hived into it just the same as with a common 

 hive. A temporary bottom-board may be used if the box has to be 

 sent any distance ; or a cloth may be tied round to close the bottom 

 (the latter plan is best, because allowing plenty of air), and when 

 brought home at night, the bees being clustered at the top, the cloth 

 or temporary bottom must be removed, and the box gently placed on 

 its own floor-board, and the hive set in the place it is permanently 

 to occupy. E E are two block fronts which open with a hinge, a 



