HIVES. 85 



This arrangement prevents the accidental closing of the 

 hive mouth to the destruction of the colony, while it 

 admits of its {i. e. the mouth's) immediate lessening in 

 the event of robbing, or for the purpose of wintering. 

 Should, however, the absolute stopping of the entrance 

 way be desired, the doors may be removed, and put in, 

 the right on the left, and the left on the right, when they 

 will meet, as their studs will be on their outer instead of 

 their proximate ends. 



"The bottom-board is so contrived that it can be 

 removed without disturbing the Bees, as it slides upon 

 two runners seen beneath it in Fig. 10. Blocks I and K, 

 Fig. II, fitted in between these runners and bottom-board, 

 press it against the hive body and hold it in position. 

 The legs are fastened to the hive proper, so that it carries 

 its own stand. When the bottom-board is slipped into 

 position it is stopped by a back piece, H, Fig. 11. The 

 super cover, the upper part of Fig. 10, or L, M, N, O, 

 Fig. 1 1, is hinged, and so contrived by the aid of a chain 

 that it can only open until its lines, horizontal when in 

 situ, become perpendicular, and vice versa. The advan- 

 tage this supplies beyond the ordinary loose case is con- 

 siderable. It is sometimes inconvenient to find suitable 

 standing for the latter during manipulation, while this 

 arrangement provides the Bee-master with a table, often 

 of great service when the hive is open, upon which 

 he can place his smoker, syrup, knife, &c., during his 

 operations. 



" The walls of the hive are double, as may be seen by 

 reference to Fig. 11, and have between them a space 

 containing dead air, shown by the black broad lines. 



" The dummy {Jt, i. Fig. 1 2), which usually hangs next 

 the hive side, and gives play to the combs by its removal, 

 is simply a double board the same size as a frame. 



