RKQUISITES OF A COMPLETE HIVE. 135 



by losing a favorable opportunity of emptying lliemselves, 

 may suffer from diseases resulting from too long confine- 

 ment. 



13. It should allow the bees, together with the heat and 

 odor of the main hive, to pass in the freest manner, to the 

 surplus honey-receptacles. 



In this respect, many hives with which we are acquainted 

 are more or less deficient ; tlie bees being forced to work in 

 receptacles difficult of access, and in which, in cool nights, 

 they find it impossible to maintain the requisite heat for 

 comb-building, or, in which, in hot days, they cannot send 

 air enough to make the place habitable. 



14. Each of the parts of every hive in an Apiary should 

 be so made, as to be interchangeable from one hive to an- 

 other. In this way, the Apiarist can readily make the 

 exchanges of brood, honey, or pollen, which circumstances 

 demand. 



15. The hive should permit the surplus honey to be 

 taken away in the most convenient, beautiful and salable 

 forms. 



16. It should be equally well adapted to be used as a 

 swarmer, or non-swarmer. 



1 7. It should enable the Apiarist to multiply his colonies 

 with a certainty and rapidity which are impossible if he 

 depends on natural swarming. 



18. It should enable the Apiarist to supply destitute col- 

 onies -with the means of obtaining a new queen. 



19. It should enable him to catch the queen, for any 

 purpose ; especially to remove an old one whose fertiUty is 

 impaired by age. 



20. It should enable a single bee-keeper to superintend 

 several hundred colonies for different individuals. 



Many persons would keep bees, if an Apiary, like a gar- 

 den, could be superintended by a competent individual. No 

 person can agree to do this with the common hives. If the 



