MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 255 



CHAPTER XVIIL 

 THE HOUSE APIARY. 



DESCRIPTION. 



This is a double-walled house, which may be rectangular 

 or octagonal in form. The outer wall should be of brick, and 

 made as thin as possible. Inside of this there should be 

 wooden strips two-inches thick, which should receive a layer 

 of paper-sheeting inside, which may be held by nailing strips 

 two-inches wide immediately inside the first mentioned strips. 

 These last strips should receive lath, after which all should 

 be plastered. This may cost more than a purely wooden 

 structure, but it will be more nearly frost-proof than any 

 other kind of wall, and in the end will be the cheapest. 

 There will be two dead air-chambers, each two inches deep, 

 one between the paper and brick, the other between the paper 

 and the plaster. The entire wall will be at least eight inches 

 thick. If desired, it may be made less thick by using one- 

 inch strips, though for our very severe winters the above is 

 none too thick. The doors and windows should be double and 

 should all shut closely against rubber. The outer ones should 

 consist of glass, and should be so hung as to swing out, and 

 in hot weather should be replaced with door, and window- 

 screens, of coarse, painted, wire gauze. A small window just 

 above each colony of bees is quite desirable. 



Somewhere in the walls there should be a ventilating tube 

 — a brick flue would be very good — whic?i should open into 

 the room just above the floor. Above it might open into the 

 attic, which should be well aired. Ventilators such as are 

 so common on barns might be used. 



The pipe for admitting air, should, as in the cellar before 

 described, pass through the ground and enter the floor from 

 below. A good cellar, well ventilated and thoroughly dry 

 will be convenient, and should not be neglected. I would 

 have the building but one story, with joists in ceiling above 



