CONCRETE FLOORS. 



151 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

 CONCRETE FLOORS. 



These are a combination, forming at once both a hive-bottom and 

 a hive-stand. Among bee-men, they have called forth a good deal 

 of comment, oral and written. Some of these comments are ad- 

 verse, and others complimentary. The objections are: — They are 

 too expensive, too heavy, and too hot. Too expensive ! A cask 

 of cement costing 14s. in Sydney will make fifteen of them; that 

 is as cheap as wood, nay cheaper, because they are everlasting. 

 Too heavy ! This will depend on the gumption of the maker ; if 

 he places the mould on the site where the hive is to stand he will 

 have no occasion to remove it, and the weightiest object to handle 

 will be the mould. Too hot! They were used at the Agricultural 

 College all summer, and were not found so. If this objector 

 had seen them in use, he would have said otherwise. 



Their advantages: Being made on the surface of the ground 

 there is no harbour for bee vermin, such as spiders, earwigs, etc. 

 An eight-frame hive covers a superficial area of 280 inches, and 

 that of the concrete floor about 700 inches; being considerably 

 more than twice the area of a hive, it thus prevents weeds etc., 

 overgrowing the hives, and gives free access for the bees at all 

 times. They are fireproof. Of late many a hive of bees would 

 have been saved if these concrete floors had been used; wooden 

 ones soon take fire. They are much cleaner than wood; are not 

 affected by conditions of weather, therefore they do not shrink, 

 crack or warp. They never require painting, and will remain 

 serviceable for generations, improving with age. Can this be said 

 of wood ? The bee entrance can be contracted to nil or expanded 

 to 1\ in. x 9 in., so that the bees can fly directly in among the 

 combs if it be so desired. The entrance has a fall of 2\ inches, 

 in 9 inches, so no rain can beat therein. 



The diagrams are lettered from "A" to "E." "A" is the 

 frame in which "B" was moulded. The bevel of it is 9 in. x 18 

 in. ,h gives a full width entrance to an eight-frame or a ten- 

 frame hive, and the first concrete floors used at the Hawkesbury 



