46 HIVES, 



KIND OF WOOD, WIDTH OF BOARD, ETC. 



Of the kinds of wood for hives, pine is preferable, 

 still other kinds will do ; I have no faith in bees liking 

 one kind better than another, and less likely to leave 

 on that account. Hemlock is cheaper, and used to a 

 great extent ; when perfectly sound is as good as any- 

 thing, but is very liable to split, even after the bees have 

 been in them some time. It should be used only when 

 better wood cannot be obtained. Bass wood when 

 used for hives should always he painted, and then will 

 be very liable to warp from the moisture arising from 

 the bees inside. When not painted outside, and allowed 

 to get wet, if only for a few hours, so much moisture 

 is absorbed that it will bend outward, and cleave from 

 the combs and crack them. A few days of dry weath- 

 er will relieve the outside of water, and the inside 

 kept moist by the bees, the bending will be reversed, 

 and the combs pressed inward, keeping the bees fixing 

 that which will not " stay fixed." Perhaps there is 

 wood as suitable or better than pine, but it is not as 

 common. 



Boards should be selected^ if possible, that will be 

 the proper width to make the hive about square, of 

 the ri^t size. Say twelve inches square, inside, by 

 fourteen deep. I prefer this shape to any other, yet 



SHAPE OF NO CONSEQUENClB. 



it is not all important. I have had some ten inches 

 square by twenty in length ; they were awitward look- 

 ing, but that was all, X could discover no difference in 

 their prosperity. Also, I have had them twelve inches 

 deep by thirteen square, with the same result. Hence, 



