§xv.] THE STEWARTON HIVE. 149 



bred in — is prevented. Each box is furnished with two 

 small windows, back and front, closed by sliding shutters, 

 by which opportunity is afforded for inspecting the pro- 

 gress made, and also for ascertaining when the cells are 

 filled and the box may be taken away. 



Each of the boxes a, b, c, is furnished with an entrance- 

 way four inches wide and half an inch high, a wooden 

 slide either wholly or partially closing it as required. 

 When at work the bees need only one entrance open, 

 and that at the lowest box. The long slides before 

 mentioned are pushed into their respective receptacles 

 from the back of the hive to close the openings between 

 the bars ; those of them that are shorter will be seen to 

 belong to the sides of the octagon, and their ends are cut 

 angular to suit the form of the box. A little examina- 

 tion will suffice to show the right allotment of the slides, 

 the appropriation of which may be said somewhat to 

 resemble the putting together of a child's puzzle. 



The box b must be left open at the interstices that cor- 

 respond with the box a, placed above, the little openings 

 being closed by the insertion of the ten sections of slides, 

 thus leaving free communication inside with the upper 

 box A, and admitting of no outlet for the bees except at 

 the entrance. When the four boxes are placed above each 

 other, the structure measures twenty-two inches high. 



The Scotch carpenters send no floor-board, and no 

 covering or roof for the top to shoot off the rain ; they 

 evidently expect that the purchaser is provided with a 



