DESCRIPTION OF THE HIVE OF LOMBARD. 25Q 



throughout, the four corners of which are sawed off in such 

 a manner, that in measuring the board from one corner to 

 another the measure is exactly one foot. This board is 

 fastened with nails driven into the upper projecting band, 

 and entering a little into the front. It is by means of the 

 four openings left by the corners of the board being sawed 

 off, that the bees obtain a free communication, and by 

 which, when fumigated, they are driven from the under 

 compartment to the upper. The effect of this board is seen 

 as here represented, being the top of the hive viewed longi- 

 tudinally. Under the board a flat rod E E crosses the hive, 

 about fifteen or eighteen lines. It answers the purpose of 

 lifting the hive, and facilitates the fastening of the cover, 

 which has also a projecting rod on each side, corresponding 

 with that of the hive. 



The first two bands of the cover A should be of the same 

 diameter as the hive, the third should decline insensibly, and 

 so on progressively, until the cover at its elevation be about 

 four or five inches. At the top is left an opening of about 

 fifteen or eighteen lines, in which a dagger of the accompany- 

 ing form is placed, one foot in length, and diminishing 

 gradually in its height, which is only ten inches, the 

 remainder being buried in the cover. In order that 

 this dagger should not penetrate to a greater depth gf[| 

 on account of the outer covering, a rod rather curved, 

 six or eight inches long, is fixed, which passes across the 

 dagger, and bears on the convexity of the cover, and in a 

 contrary direction to that of the interior. 



The base of the cover is crossed by the projecting rod, 

 which serves to suppon the combs which the bees construct 

 in the cover. The covers should be about four or five 

 inches in depth, that they may be proportioned to the size 

 of the swarm. Were they to be made of greater depth, some 

 combs might be made which could not possibly be extracted. 

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