62 THE BEE-KEEPER’S MANUAL. 
our meaning. A small weight for a day or two will 
adjust the crown to its place. The crown-board to the 
stock-hive can be fitted in this same manner if pre- 
ferred; indeed, a variety of methods could be adopted. 
An annual coat of paint should be given to straw 
hives, and nothing looks better than a natural straw 
colour. As to the comparison between straw and 
wood, attention may be drawn to the words of 
Gelieu, who says, “It is commonly supposed that 
bees thrive best in straw hives, because the straw 
absorbs the moisture, and the combs are less lable 
to mould. For my part I can perceive no difference. 
The bees are careful enough to varnish over the 
interior of the straw hives with a coating of wax, 
or rather propolis, to prevent the settlement of 
moths; and in old hives this varnish is so thick 
that no moisture can penetrate between the cords 
of straw. Wooden hives will also absorb moisture 
to a certain extent; and experience has shown me 
that it is a matter of indifference which are em- 
ployed, except as to the price.” To this we may 
add a remark from Mr. Cheshire’s ‘Practical Bee- 
Keeping,” to the effect that the natural non-con- 
ductivity of straw gives it an advantage to begin 
with, but that wooden hives can be so constructed 
as fully to rival it in this respect; and this end will 
be accomplished to a certainty if his own plan is 
followed of making double walls with an air space 
between. Upon this see the description of his frame 
hive further on. 
Of skep hives ready adapted to the depriving 
system, Messrs. Neighbour offer a far larger variety 
