HIVE ESSENTIALS. 205 



tucked around them to keep in the heat. When sections are used in 

 wide frames they should be closed at the side with a follower which may 

 be tied or held in place by a foot piece which prevents its falling over. 

 Perhaps the best way to manage boxes is to place them in wide two 

 inch frames. These may be either of the dimensions of the regular 

 frame or half the depth so as to hold only one row of small boxes. Two 

 tiers of the latter are used at the sides of the broodnest and one or two 

 above, as desired or as seems necessary. (See " Honey Boxes, " p. 56.) 



These wide frames which hold the honey boxes of the same width 

 have on one side strips of tin wide enough to leave passages for the 

 bees at the bottom and top into the honey boxes of one-fourth to three- 

 eights of an ineh. By this means the comb is secured accurately in 

 boxes which may afterwards be covered with glass or not, as prefered 

 and packed uniformly in crates to suit the market 



Two close fitting division boards should belong to each hive for con- 

 tracting it when necessary and to be used in packing for winter. When 

 not needed below they can be hung in the upper box. Narrow strips 

 of heavy wood having one end cut diagonally make excellent entrance 

 blocks. 



The bee-keeper should make his hives during winter when not pressed 

 with work, and have a full supply of boxes, and crates, or barrels on 

 hand when the honey season opens. It is too late to make them when 

 the bees begin to need attention. Success depends greatly in pro- 

 vidence for the busy time, and prompt attention when demanded in 

 the apiary. 



PAINTING AND CLOUDING HIVES. 



Hives should be painted as soon as made, and three or four weeks 

 before being used, as the smell of fresh paint is offensive to the bees. 

 They may be painted every shade of color, for the sake of variety, but 



