HIVES WITH IMMOVABLE COMBS. 



131 



was light, the damage inflicted to the bees was immense, 

 for they had to rebuild their combs at a time when queens 

 begin their greatest laying. But the bee-keepers of old 

 were persuaded that this crop of beeswax was beneficial 

 to bees, since it compelled them to make new combs, which 

 were considered better than older ones (676). 



Fig. is. 

 STKAW KKK HIVE. 

 (FromHamet.) 

 B, body; A , hole to connect the 

 stories with the surplas cap. 



Fig. 49. 

 THE RADOCAN EKE HIVB. 

 (From Hamet.) 



378. Some bee-keepers, having noticed that bees place 

 their honey at the highest part of the hive, added a cap or 

 upper story, which communicated with the hive through a 

 hole in the top of the latter (figs. 46 and 47). Still later. 

 Apiarists found out that when the hive was very deep and 

 the connecting hole small, the bees refused to store their 

 honey in the cap, and they made their hives with open ceil- 

 ings, replacing the top board of the breeding-story with slats 

 or bars. The hives were afterwards divided into several hor- 

 izontal sections, called "ekes" (figs. 48 and 49). Instead 

 of using a cap, some Apiarists removed the upper story, 

 -when full of honey, and placed a new story under the others. 



