SUPPLEMENT. 147 



may be seen and examined day by day. For scientific 

 pursuits the movable-comb hive is excellent; and in 

 practical and profitable management it has some advan- 

 tages in certain seasons, or with certain ends in view. 

 For instance, a hive may be 60 lb. in weight by the 

 end of August, and from this hive the owner may wish 

 to get some honey for use, and keep the hive for stock. 

 In such a case, two or three of the outside combs or 

 bars could be removed from the hive, leaving all the 

 rest for the bees to winter in. With straw hives in 

 such a case, 10 or 12 lb. of honey is cut out with the 

 comb-knife. Again, two hives with movable combs may 

 be 60 lb. each — too heavy for keeping — and one has to 

 be kept for stock. In this case half of the bars — the 

 outside ones containing most of honey — could be re- 

 moved for use or profit, and the central combs of both 

 hives could be united, with all the bees in one hive. 

 This is a very great advantage, which other hives do 

 not possess. But there is a difficulty in the use of this 

 advantage which should be remembered. Combs are 

 not built quite plumb or straight in the bars, and hence 

 the difiBculty of getting two to fit each other. If the 

 undulations or bends in the combs run too near each 

 other, so that the bees have not room to work between 

 them, there will be a loss of comb and space. 



Some advocates of the movable-comb system contend 

 for its superiority on the ground that the honey can be 

 taken from the combs by using the " American slinger " 

 without destroying them. The advocates' of the sKnger 

 have said that its use saves the bees from the expense 

 and trouble of building fresh combs, and in this way 

 more honey is obtained. Our opinions on this point 

 remain unshaken, and we believe that the slinger will 

 never come into general or profitable use in this country. 

 The use of old combs in hives, and the practice of keep- 

 ing them for future use, will gradually grow in dis- 

 favour and disuse. 



Doubtless many other things could be said in favour 



