152 A Modern Bee-Farm 



building first mentioned. All the firamework is of 3-inch by 2-inch 

 scantling and matched boards as before, which were put on when 

 dry. The ground plan is as here shown. The only door 

 communicating with the outside leads first into a closed room, 50 

 feet by 1 2 feet. Just beyond the centre we have the honey safe 

 and extracting room, which stands 2 feet clear of the ground with 

 woven wire on two sides opposite the windows. Steps lead to the 

 door which is carefully fitted, and no bees are able to get in. 



The long room has two other windows, and all have the glass 

 arranged that no bees are ever found dead inside, as before men- 

 tioned. Stray bees are here disposed of before the honey goes 

 into the safe. Between the latter and -the outer door stands a 

 table, 12 feet by 3 feet, for general manipulations. On either side 

 with intervening passages are shelves for storing crates, and other 

 materials. 



The closed shed has a span roof, 10 feet high at the centre, 

 dropping to 8 feet at the sides, and upon turning to the right after 

 entering by the outer door, we pass a side door, S D, communi- 

 cating with the sheds which form the other three sides of a court- 

 yard. These sheds have only a lean-to roof, 8 feet high at the 

 outside, and 3 feet 6 inches on the inside next the yard. The 

 low sides are open, while the outside is all boarded, with openings 

 2 inches by 6 inches, left in front of each hive for the bees to 

 work through. 



We pass right round between a double row of hives until at 

 the opposite door we again enter the long room. Hives are also 

 arranged in the yard, which is reached by another door at about 

 the centre of the wall on that side of the closed room. The latter 

 is well ventilated by openings allowed above the four doors. 



The Hives under Cover 



are each on a separate stand, and such floorboards are made to 

 provide a recess of 2 inches under the hive, not only to allow all 

 refuse matter to fall clear of the combs and secure free admission 

 of air during winter, but also as an advantage in summer, as it 

 were meeting my non-swarming plan half-way. 



