REQUISITES OF A GtOOI> HIVE. 103 



23. It should permit the easy hiving o-f a swarm, without 

 injuring any of the bees, or risking the destruction of the 

 Queen. 



24. It should admit of the safe transportation of the bees 

 to any distance whatever. 



The permanent bottom board, the firm attachment of the 

 combs, each to a separate frame, and the facility with which, 

 in my hive, any amount of air can be given to the bees when 

 shut up, most admirably adapt it to this purpose. 



25. It should furnish the bees with air, when for any pur- 

 pose, the entrance must be entirely shut. 



26. A good hive should furnish facilities for enlarging, 

 contracting, and closing the entrance, so as to protect the 

 bees against robbers, and the bee-moth ; and when the en- 

 trance is altered, the bees ought not to lose valuable time in 

 searching for it, as they must do in most hives. 



27. It should give the bees the means of ventilating their 

 hives, without enlarging the entrance too much, so as to ex- 

 pose them to moths and robbers. 



28. It should furnish facilities for admitting at once, a 

 large body of air ; so that in Winter, or early Spring, when 

 the weather is at any time unusually mild, the bees may be 

 tempted to fly out and discharge their faeces. 



If such a free admission of air cannot be given to hives 

 which are thoroughly protected against the cold, the bees 

 may lose a favorable opportunity of emptying themselves ; 

 and thus be more exposed than they otherwise would, to 

 suffer from diseases resulting from too long confinement. A 

 very free admission of air is also desirable when the weather 

 is exceedingly hot. 



29. It should enable the Apiarian to remove the excess of 

 bee-bread from old stocks. 



By means of my movable frames, the excess of old colo- 



