136 THE BEE-HIVES. 



bees are allowed to swarm, he may be called in a dozen dif- 

 ferent directions at once, and if any accident, such as the 

 loss of a queen, hai^pens to the colonies of his customers, 

 he can usually apply no remedy. 



21. All the joints of the hive should be water-tight and 

 moth-proof (804), and there should be no doors or shutters 

 liable to shrink, swell, or get out of order. 



22. A complete hive should be protected against the de- 

 structive ravages of mice in Winter (34:8). 



23. It should permit the honey, after the gathering sea- 

 son is over, to be concentrated where the bees will most 

 need it. 



24. It should permit the space for spare honey recepta- 

 cles to be enlarged or contracted at will, without any alter- 

 ation or destruction of existing parts of the hive. 



Without the power to do this, the productive force of a 

 colony is in some seasons greatly diminished. 



25. Its surplus honey receptacle should be as close to the 

 brood as possible. 



26. A complete hive, while possessing aK these requisites, 

 should, if possible, combine them in a cheap and simple form, 

 adapted to the wants of all who are competent to cultivate 

 bees. 



281. There are a few desirables to which a hive, even if 

 it were perfect, could make no pretensions ! 



It could not promise splendid results to those who are 

 too ignorant or too careless to be entrusted with the man- 

 agement of bees. In bee-keeping, as in all other pursuits, 

 man must lirst understand his business, and then proceed 

 upon the good old maxim, that "the hand of the diligent 

 maketh rich." " In a word, to succeed it is indispensable to 

 know what to do, and to do it just in time." — (S. Wagner). 



It could not have the talismanic influence to convert a bad 

 situation for honey into a good one ; or give the Apiarist an 

 abundant harvest, whether the season was productive or 



