PUTTING ON AND TAKING OFF BOXES. l75 



that perhaps a thousand or two young workers are 

 added every week, and these have to learn by the same 

 means — it would seem, if we studied our own interest, 

 we would give them all the facility possible for enter- 

 ing the boxes. What way so easy for them as to have 

 a passage, when they get to the top, between each 

 comb ? That bees do not know all roads about the 

 hive, can be partially proved by opening the door of 

 a glass hive. Most of the bees about leaving, instead 

 of going to the bottom for their exit, where they have 

 departed many times, seem to know nothing of the 

 way, but vainly try to get out through the glass, 

 whenever light is admitted. 



I am so well convinced of this, that I take some 

 pains to accommodate them with a passage between 

 each comb ; they will then at least lose no time by 

 mistakes between the wrong cOrnbs, crowding and 

 elbowing their way back through a dense mass of bee's 

 which impede every step, until again at the top per- 

 haps between the same combs, perhaps right, perhaps 

 farther off than at first ; when I suppose they try it 

 again ; as boxes are filled sometimes under just such 

 circumstances. 



To assist them as much as possible, when new hives 

 are used for swarms, I wait till the hive is nearly filled 

 before making the holes to ascertain the direction of 

 the combs. We all know it is uncertain which 

 way the combs will be built, when the swarm is put 

 in, unless guide-combs are used.* When holes are 



* Perhaps Miner's crosa-bar hive would do ib 



