76 



A MANUAL OF BEE-KEEPING. 



in diameter than the hive, and have a projecting front for 

 the Bees to alight on (see the floor-board on Fig. lo), 

 which should, with the remainder of the margin of the 

 board, be bevelled off for the rain to run off. However 

 well the skep may be made, it would be folly to expose 

 them to the weather without protection from the rain, 

 and many plans may be adopted to guard against this. 

 A very rural way is to make a conical straw hackle. Fig. 



6, fitting over the hive, and 

 throwing off the water like 

 the thatch of a barn. An- 

 other way is to cover the 

 hive with an inverted flat 

 milk pan, such as is used in 

 dairies to set the milk in. 

 It matters little what is used 

 so that the desired result be 

 obtained, for it must be 

 borne in mind that a dry 

 hive in winter is one of the 

 first essentials for prosperity. 

 The straw hackle, Fig. 6, can be made without difficulty, 

 thus : The straw having been well soaked, as for thatch- 

 ing, is securely tied with basket-maker's twigs or tarred 

 string. Hoops are then fastened within at K, L, and 

 M, N. The hackles are then fitted over and adapted to 

 the form of the hives, then left to dry, stiffen, and set. 

 A wooden peg or two passed through the hackle above 

 the hoop into the hive side will prevent the wind 

 disturbing it. 



The following suggestions, published in ' The Country,' 

 by Mr. Cheshire, for skep covers will be found both 

 useful and ingenious : — 



" Double back upon itself a flour or manure sack, as 



Fig. 6. 



