Of Habitations for Bees. 145 
box hive will laft as long as three of them. I 
have known many bee-mafters, who never uf- 
ed any other kind of hives, and whofe bees 
throve very well. I believe, however, they are 
rather colder in winter, but a proper covering 
will prevent all danger from that quarter. But 
ftraw hives are eafieft obtained’ at firft, and 
have been ufed and recommended by the moft 
of bee-matfters. 
As to the fize, a hive that will hold about 24 
pecks, Linlithgow meafure, will hold a pretty 
large {warm ; but there is no certain rule to 
judge what hive will be exactly filled by a 
fwarm. Much depends upon the fucceeding 
feafon. If the {warm be early and large, it 
will require a large hive; but if otherwife, the 
hive fhould be proportionably lefs. If a fwarm 
be put into one of the fize above mentioned, 
_and the bees fill it foon, and appear to want 
‘more room, it can eafily be enlarged, by put- 
ting an eek below it : but if it be heavy enough 
for a ftock hive, it will do, although it fhould 
not be quite full of combs. 
A ftraw hive, when made, fhould have a 
piece of wood, fixed in the undermott roll, four 
inches long, with a notch cut out of it, three 
inches Jong, and one high, for an entry to the 
Tt : bees 
