BEE-KEEFGR S MANUAL. OS 



gle case, of the ventilation of a hive by the bees, in my 

 own apiary. 



Having a swarm lodged _in a hive that I felt particu- 

 larly anxious should prosecute their labors speedily, in 

 consequence of its being an ornamental domicil, and it 

 being quite late in the season when the swarm was put 

 therein, (22d June,) contrary to my custom, the 

 weather being cold, or rather not warm, for the season, 

 I let the hive down in close contact with the stand, only 

 allowing a few small holes for the egress and ingress of 

 the bees, in order to facilitate the internal heat of the 

 hive. The weather suddenly changing from moderate 

 to extremely hot, the bees clustered in large numbers on 

 the outside of the hive, and their labors seemed almost 

 suspended. On opening the door to the hive, that ad- 

 mitted a full view of all the inside, through a pane of 

 glass, the bees having but partially filled it with combs, 1 

 there had a fair and full opportunity to witness the 

 manner in which the bees renew the air of their hives 

 by the vibration of their wings. On the' bottom-board 

 of the hive were arrayed files of bees in platoons, as 

 regularly arranged as an army on parade, all with their 

 heads the same way, and keeping.up a constant motion 

 of the wings. They were stationed in rows from front 

 to rear, thus giving the laboring bees, that went forth to 

 the fields, an opportunity to pass. in and out with the 

 least possible inconvenience ; since the avenues between 

 the rows of ventilating bees converged to a focus at 

 the rear of the hive, at which point the bees had built 

 down their combs near to the bottom ; and hung there 



