HIVES AND BOXES. 39 



and the perforations made in an oblique direction, so distant from 

 each other as to cause all the stitches of the hive to range in a 

 uniform manner.' The hoop gives greater stability to the hive, 

 preserves the lower edge from decaj', and affords facility in moving 

 it. I advise a circular piece of wood (turned with a groove at 

 the edge, to retain it in its place) to be worked into the crown, 

 having through it an inch and a-half hole. With a little ingenuity, 

 the bees may be fed through this opening — a better method than 

 the ordinary one at the bottom of a hive. A piece of wood or 

 tin will commonly cover the hole ; but at times, and especially in 

 winter, it may be used for the purpose of ventilation, and allow- 

 ing escape to the impure air of the hive. In this case, a bit of 

 perforated tin or zinc should be placed over it, which, when 

 stopped up by the bees, can be replaced by a clean one. An 

 earthen pan is a common cover to a straw hive ; and this may be 

 slightly raised by wedges on the four sides, to permit a small 

 space underneath. Of whatever material the outer covering con- 

 sists, it must project so far on all sides as to protect the hive from 

 the least moisture. This cannot be too much guarded against ; 

 and whether of wood or straw, all hives ought to be well painted 

 at the beginning, and periodically afterwards." 



I can confidently recommend the following simple and cheap 

 description of hive to my readers : — Get a common straw hive, 

 but let it be of somewhat larger dimensions than are ordinarily 

 used, and cut it across (about one-third of its length) from the 

 upper or conical end ; fit to this end a round piece of wood, 

 about an inch in thickness, having in its centre a hole about an 

 inch and a half in diameter, fitted with a cork or bung. Take 

 another hive of ordinary dimensions, and place it over this. This 

 is called capping. When, during the proper season, the bees 

 have filled the lower part of the hive, and show symptoms of re- 

 quiring more room, you have only to draw out the cork, and 

 place the cap over the board. This acts as a bell-glass ; and the 

 honey you will collect in it will not be inferior to that procured 

 from the most costly set of bee -boxes. A coating of Roman 

 cement on the exterior surface of these hives, will render them 

 almost everlasting. 



De Gelieu states that he took 72 lbs. weight of fine, pure 

 honey from a straw hive thus capped, in one season. 



Glass, or, as they are called by some, " observatory hives," 

 are not such as I approve of. Bees love darkness, and hate light 



