106 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



of the post, about two feet from the top, and up to 

 the end of the piece spiked on top of post, forming a 

 brace; wide boards may be used lengthwise, one edge 

 overlapping the one below it, if desired, or joists may 

 be put on and short boards, or even shingles, used to 

 cover with. In this way the whole shed stands on 

 one row of posts, which saves both labor, material 

 and space. This kind of shed suits as well for any 

 style of hive in use, as it does for my own. 



ANOTHER METHOD OF COVERING. 



Take any sound boards that may be convenient, 

 those one-half inch thick are as good as any ; cut two 

 pieces, twenty inches long and fourteen inches wide ; 

 take two pieces, about seventeen inches long and four 

 or five inches wide, and slope them each way from the 

 centre; on these nail the boards like the roof of a 

 house, which may be set on and taken off at pleasure, 

 or simply nail cleats on the underside of the boards, 

 one being wider than the other, so as to give a proper 

 slope, set this on the top, and it will do very well. 

 It is necessary, in all cases, to have a current of air 

 between the top of the hive and the roof, to prevent 

 the hot sun in summer from melting the combs. 



PROCURING BEES TO COMMENCE AN APIARY. 



[t is now pretty well understood, at least by the in- 

 . diligent portion of the communitj 7 , that bees may be 

 bought and sold, and trafficked with, just as any other 

 kind of stock, without materially affecting the luck 

 (as it was formerly called). Luck depends entirely 



