122 MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 



CHAPTER V, 



HIVES AND BOXES 



An early choice among the innumerable hives is of course 

 demanded ; and here let me state with emphasis, that none 

 of the standard hives are now covered by patents, so let 

 no one buy rights. Success by the skillful apiarist with 

 almost any hive is possible. Yet, without question, some 

 hives are far superior to others, and for certain uses, and with 

 certain persons, some hives are far preferable to others, though 

 all may be meritorious. As a change in hives, after one is 

 once engaged in apiculture, involves much time, labor and 

 expense, this becomes an important question, and one worthy 

 earnest consideration by the prospective apiarist. I shall give 

 it a first place, and a thorough consideration, in this discussion 

 of practical apiculture. 



BOX-HIVES. 



I feel free to say that no person who reads, thinks, and 

 studies — and success in apiculture can be promised to no 

 other — will ever be content to use the old box-hives? In fact, 

 thought and intelligence, which imply an eagerness to investi- 

 gate, are essential elements in the apiarist's character. And 

 to such an one a box-hive would be valued just in propor- 

 tion to the amount of kindling-wood it contained. A very\ 

 serious fault with one of our principal bee-books, which 

 otherwise is mainly excellent in subject matter and treatment, 

 is the fact that it presumes its readers to be box-hive men. 

 As well make emperors, kings, and chivalry the basis of good 

 government, in an essay written for American readers. I 

 shall entirely ignore box-hives in the following discussions, 

 for I believe no sensible, intelligent apiarists, such as read 

 books, will tolerate them, and that, supposing they would, it 

 would be an expensive mistake, which I have no right to 

 encourage, in fact, am bound to discourage, not onlj- for the 

 benefit of individuals, but also for the art it.self. 



