206 miner's AMERICAN 



vent a bee-moth from entering a hive, the same odor 

 will drive away every bee also. 



DIRECTIONS TO THE JOINER. 



The joiner, in constructing the hives, should be very 

 particular to have close joints ; as every open joint will 

 be filled by the bees with propolis, at a great expense of 

 their valuable time. The nailing of the hives should be 

 particularly attended to, as they are liable to spring open 

 after being exposed to the weather a few months. No- 

 thing less than tenpenny nails will answer the purpose ; 

 and then, some of them should be driven obliquely, or 

 v/hat the joiner calls toed, which will prevent the joints 

 opening. The safest way, however, is to halve out, or 

 rabbet the edges of the boards, so that when put together, 

 they may be nailed both ways. 



The doors to the windows should be beveled on every 

 side, except where they are hung ; and the door- way of 

 the hive should have a corresponding bevel. This pre- 

 vents open joints, and the doors not closing in damp 

 weather. Every door should be clamped at each end, 

 to prevent warping, and so should the floor-boards also. 



Where hives are exposed to the sun a portion of the 

 day, it requires the greatest care to keep many parts of 

 them from warping out of their proper shape. 



A thin strip may be run around the inside of the 

 window, with a rabbet, to receive the glass. Let this 

 strip be as thin as possible. When the glass is in its 

 place, a brad driven in against it will keep it in its posi- 

 tion. Don't forget the cross sticks to be placed in the 



