172 THE BEE-HIVES. 
354. The upper story or 
cover may be a half-story ri i 
cap, in one piece (fig. 65), or 
in two pieces (fig. 70), or, 
if only full stories are used 
for surplus, it may be a 
shallow cover (fig. 78), which u | i! i 
will fit over either the first === | i 
or the second story. We = Z i 
prefer the half-story cap, Fig. 78. 
which can be readily filled BLANTON S TWO*STORY SEV 
with absorbents for Winter, and is adapted to any style of 
supers.* 
355. The caps must fit freely so as to be easily removed. 
They may be made of lighter lumber than the body of the 
hive, to save fatigue to the Apiarist in handling them. The 
top of the hive must be water-tight. Cracks, knots and 
seams should be avoided, or should be thoroughly painted 
with roof-cement. Before putting together the boards 
which form the top of the cap of our hives, we make, along 
both sides of the joints, a rounded groove, three-eighths of 
an inch wide and one-fourth of an inch deep, in which the 
rain-water runs, instead of leaking inside. Mr. McCord of 
Oxford, O., makes the covers of his hives water-tight, by 
covering them with strong muslin, tacked on with a strip 
nailed to the edges, and thoroughly painted. Mr. G. M. 
Doolittle of Borodino, N. Y., and Dr. C. C. Miller, of Ma- 
rengo, Ill., both among the leading bee-writers and success- 
ful producers of honey, use tin, painted white, on the tops 
of their hives. The Swiss and French bee-keepers do the 
same. 
356. The hives should always be painted, not only to 
make them last, but to give them a neat appearance. No 
' TUT 
rk a 
iy 
| J i 
ee Hit a 
iH 
* This term is used by Aplarists to designate any upper box placed over the 
main lower hive. 
