4<8 THE APIARY; OU, 



combs, and packed them in one of the square box "Woodbul-y 

 bar and frame " liiveSj and on arrival at Exeter, Mr. Woodbury 

 assisted us in taking out the frames and placing them in the 

 Unicomb. That being fixed against the boarded side of a shed, 

 we found the covered way a great convenience, and it answered 

 remarkably well; the bees did not seem to be inconvenienced by 

 having to travel through so long a passage. A glass covering admitted 

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

 sight 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 Koyal Agricultural Society at Newcastle in 1864. 

 On both occasions further proof was given that this hive admirably 

 answers the purpose intended, and it afforded pleasure and interest 

 to many thousands of visitors. 



Mode of Stocking. — 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 artificial 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. 



T)ie 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 a better plan still 

 if artificial combs are placed in each frame so as to afford an interest- 

 ing 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 



* It may require explanation how it was that we took bees to Exeter, which 

 sounds something like " carrying coals to Newcastle." The reason was this — 

 the garden of our friend, Mr. Woodbury, at Mount Radford, from which we 

 could have been supplied, was so near to the show yard that he was appre- 

 hensive a large number of the bees would return to their old hives. Our bees 

 from a distance would, according to their nature, return to their own hive, for 

 bees although they may be moved miles away, take care to mark their new 

 position, and are careful to return to it. Mr. Woodbury lent us a small stock 

 of his Ligurian bees, and between it and our own hive the crowd of visitors 

 divided their attention. 



