434 MATERIALS FOR HIVES. 



causing them to become cold and damp in Winter, and, if 

 exposed to the sun, so hot in Summer as often to melt the 

 combs. The Winter inconveniences are greatly increased, 

 if the hives are well painted, while if this is neglected, they 

 cannot be exposed to sun or weather, without serious injury. 



I have hitherto protected my hives, by making them of 

 doubled wood or glass, so as to secure the advantages of a 

 •dead air space, and this in connection with another plan, 

 partly original and partly the result of the experience of 

 others, will, I am persuaded, give all ihe advantages both of 

 straw and wood, without any of the inconveniences of 

 either. In all hives, the bees will in chilly weather, avoid 

 traveling over the cold sides, as they pass in and out ; 

 but they cannot escape contact with the bottom-board, and if 

 the part projecting outside of the hive is painted, its surface 

 will be too smooth for secure footing, besides being often, in 

 cool weather, wet with condensed moisture, so as to prove 

 exceedingly disagreeable to the bees. If the bottom- 

 board is covered with heavy straw matting, which may be 

 bought for about three cents per square foot, and this is 

 tacked on, (with its finished edge outside,) so as to cover the 

 alighting-hoard, the bees will find themselves, to all intents 

 and purposes, in a straw hive. I should advise protecting 

 the inside front of the hives, in the same way, rather than 

 with the dead air space, as bees, in all working weather, are 

 inclined to travel over this surface, if it is not too cool. Be- 

 fore nailing down the matting, it will be very desirable to 

 place under it, five or six thicknesses of common straw 

 wrapping paper, which, at next to no expense, will make it, 

 almost if not quite, as warm again. That part of the mat- 

 ting, which lines the interior of the hives, should now be 

 covered with a melted mixture,* one-third rosin and two- 



* Straw-paper thus covered, might perhaps do as well as matting. 



