204 AUSTRALIAN BEE LORE AND BEE CULTURE- 



The hive must be protected from rain, so that there should 

 be no internal moisture. It should be so placed as to admit every 

 ray of the winter's sun. But during the great heat of summer 

 there must be perfect ventilation. For these the hive should 

 be so constructed as to permit a good supply of fresh cool air in 

 summer, and at the same time exclude the chilly winds of winter. 



4. It should permit every desirable operation to be per- 



formed without exciting the bees. 



In point 1 he has said the same thing in other words. 



5. Not one unnecessary motion should be required of a 



single bee. 



That will mainly depend upon the bees themselves. Some 

 bees are far more docile than others. To obtain this perfection 

 care and experience must be exercised in selecting breeding stocks. 

 "The motion" of bees also depends on the season ; if large sup- 

 plies of honey are coming in, bees are more tractable than when 

 on the verge of starvation. 



6. It should afford suitable facilities for inspecting the con- 



ditions of the bees at all times. 



Hives as now made afford every opportunity for inspection 

 if proper care is exercised in their construction, and care taken 

 in placing them in position; but bees should not be examined at 

 all times — not during the winter season, or during damp rainy 

 weather, nor when a high wind is blowing. 



7. It should be capable of being readily adjusted to either 



the wants of large or small colonies. 



Bees should never have more frames to work on than they 

 can occupy. They should be kept in compact quarters by means 

 of the "dummy" or division board. 



8. It should allow the combs to be removed without any 



jarring. 



All jarring and jerking can be avoided by using hives and 

 frames so constructed that the bees will find that bee glue is a 

 waste of labour. 



9. It should allow every good piece of comb to be given 



to the bees instead of melting it into wax. 



