50 THE APIARY; OE, 



summer. The " Unicomb Observatory " hive is one which might 

 have been suggested by the lines of Evans : — 



By this blest art our ravished eyes behold 

 The singing masons build their roofs of gold, 

 And mingling multitudes perplex the view, 

 Yet aU in order apt their tasks pursue ; 

 StiU happier they whose favoured ken hath seen 

 Pace slow and silent round, the state's fair queen. 



HUBEE'S HIYE. No. 19. 



To Eeancis Htjbek — not improperly styled the " Prince of 

 Apiarians/' — we are indebted for more extensive and accurate 

 observations on the habits of the Bee than has been contributed 

 by all other observers since the time of Aristotle. 



During the early period of Ruber's investigations^ he prosecuted 

 them by means of single comb hives which allow of each side of the 

 comb being examined. He found, however, that these had one 

 important defect. The bees could not in these hives cluster 

 together, which is their natural method of withstanding the effects 

 of a reduced temperature. Huber hit upon the ingenious expedient 

 of combining a number of single comb frames so as to form one 

 complete hive, which could be opened in order to expose any particular 

 comb, without disturbing the rest. Erom the manner of the 

 opening and closing of this hive, it has generally been called the 

 "Leaf or Book Hive." The division separating each comb is 

 joined both back and front with " butt hinges," fastened with a 

 moveable pin, on withdrawing which, at either side, each comb and 

 the bees on it may be inspected as easily as if in a single comb hive. 

 Huber' s Leaf Hive is thus in appearance as if several of those 

 " History of England " back-gammon chess boards were set up on 

 end together. The floorboard on which the hive stands is larger 

 than the hive when closed, so as to allow of its being opened freely 

 at any particular "volume." An entrance way for the bees is 

 hollowed out of the floorboard as in other hives. There is a 

 glass window in each end of the hive, which is provided with a 

 shutter. 



There is, however, one serious objection to Ruber's hive, which. 



