HIVES. 27 



side of each drawer, and twenty -four in the bottom of 

 the upper drawer, and holes in the top and bottom of 

 the lower drawers, to correspond, and slides to cut off 

 the communication when occasion may require. Thus 

 we see our hive may be one hive, with communication 

 sufficiently free throughout, or we may have three 

 hives combined. The drawers have tubes made in 

 them, (for the bees to pass and repass), which are made 

 to go through the fropt side of the hive. The back- 

 side of the drawers are doors, with glass set in them. 

 These drawers set up from the bottom of the hive, 

 and rest on pieces of wood, closely fitted in such a 

 way, as to make a space under the drawers for the 

 dirt, dead bees, and water, which collect in the bottom 

 of hives in winter ; between the drawers and the out- 

 side is an air space of about one-third of an inch. 



Tlfcse hives, when well made and painted, will 

 last many years, and those doing much in the business 

 will find it an advantage to have a few extra drawers. 

 Having given you some idea of the construction of 

 the changeable hive, I will proceed to notice some of 

 the most important reasons why I prefer this hive to 

 any I have yet seen. First because the hive, being 

 constructed upon the changeable principle, so that by 

 taking out a full drawer, and placing an empty one in 

 its stead, our comb is always kept new, wherefore, the 

 size of the bee is preserved, and kept in a more 

 healthy, or prosperous state, or condition, than when 

 obliged to remain and dontinue to breed, in the old 

 comb, when the ciells have become small. ■ Secondly, 

 because small, late swarms may be easily united. 



