i6o MODERN BEEHIVES. [Ch. hi. 



Since the time before mentioned we have exhibited 

 bees at the meetings of the Bath and West of England 

 Agricultural Society at Bristol, and of the Royal Agri- 

 cultural Society at Newcastle in 1864. On both occa- 

 sions further proof was given that this hive admirably 

 answers the purpose intended, and it afforded pleasure 

 to many thousands of visitors. We also exhibited one 

 of these hives in our collection at the Philadelphia 

 Exhibition of 1876, and in their certificate of award the 

 jurors direct special attention to the unicomb hive with 

 Venetian blinds as allowing the admission of light to the 

 bees whilst the sun's direct rays are excluded. 



The unicomb hive may be stocked in two ways. The 

 bee-keeper may either select the comb upon which the 

 queen is found, and put it into the hive, and so form an 

 artificial swarm as directed under that heading (Chap. 

 V. § vi.), or he may take six brood combs, and by that 

 means stock the unicomb at once. The former plan is, 

 perhaps, the more advisable, because new comb has to 

 be built within the five frames; for in this case five 

 empty frames must be put in. It is a better plan still if 

 artificial combs are placed in each frame, so as to afford 

 an interesting opportunity of watching the formation of 

 the cells therein. The' combs are sure to be dark in 

 colour when taken from a stock hive, and new combs, 

 being whiter, have a better appearance in the hive. ' The 

 comb upon which the queen was introduced may be 

 taken away after the artificial swarm has made combs 



