HIVES. 8i 



tyro in Bee-keeping. Wlien I have examined minutely 

 and seriatim the large collection of hives at a great Bee 

 Show, I have been often struck with the many eccen- 

 tricities, called " inventions," which their owners doubt- 

 less honestly believe will tend to benefit Apiculture, but 

 which an experienced impartial person condemns at 

 once as useless. In my own Apiary I have hives of 

 several patterns, and among them all I greatly prefer 

 the hive for which Mr. Cheshire obtained the principal 

 prize at the first Crystal Palace Show. This has the 

 great merit of simplicity, combined with working facili- 

 ties and sound principles of construction. A well-made 

 hive, all parts accurately fitting, affords a good deal of 

 ease and comfort to the manipulator; but to the Bees 

 themselves, the hive of the rudest, roughest construction, 

 provided it be weather-proof, is just as good as the 

 work of the most experienced joiner, and the skilful 

 Bee-master, I have no doubt, can obtain as good results 

 from the first as the last. There are probably some 

 hundreds of varieties of hives, each in some one's opinion 

 surpassing all others ; it is, therefore, in vain for me to 

 think of indicating " the best," so I will content myself 

 with describing some of " the best " in such a manner as 

 will, I hope, enable the poor man to make his own at 

 little cost, and the rich man to purchase'a satisfactory 

 dwelling for his Bees. 



As with the hives, so with the frames. Discussion 

 both here and in America has waxed hot and fierce as 

 to their form and size. The only essential requirements 

 are, that they shall be of such a width as shall allow ij 

 inches from centre to centre, when in position in the 

 hive. Their length and depth may vary at the owner's 

 pleasure, provided that all in the same Apiary are 

 exactly the same size, so as to be interchangeable. It 



G 



