238 • The Modern Bee-Hive. [June, 



mainly addressed, is earnestly counselled to adopt this system 

 of housing his bees as one of the principal points in profitable 

 apiculture. 



Indeed, it is scarcely possible to extract the fullest advantage 

 from the modern movable-comb hive system imder any other 

 procedure. Damp is the chief enemy of hive-life, and probably 

 the main exciting cause of nearly all diseases of bees. A stock 

 lioused in a brood-chamber which can be kept both warm and 

 dry, and at the same time freely ventilated, will retain health 

 and thrive in the face of continued adverse weather conditions, 

 where colonies housed in the single-walled hives will come 

 hopelessly to grief. The reason for this is not far to seek. 

 The arguments follow each other in a vicious circle. Single 

 walls mean cold w^alls. Cold w^alls mean perpetually damp 

 walls as regards their in sides, because the warm vapour 

 incessantly given off by both bees and ripening honey, con- 

 denses on them; whereas wdth double walls, the interior surface 

 of which remains as warm as the rest of the brood-chamber, 

 this vapour passes harmlessly out of the hive. Damp walls 

 mean damp combs and an incessant lowering of temperature, 

 which the bees try to counteract by extra feeding; and extra 

 feeding, combined with inaction during periods of confinement 

 to the hive, n^ieans dysentery and possibly worse. 



When we make the walls of our hives perfectly non-con- 

 ducting to heat, we cut at the root of all this mischief. Then, 

 instead of a vicious circle of arguments, we have a benevolent 

 one. Double walls mean warm walls. Warm w^alls mean 

 permanently dry walls, and these again ensure a whole hive- 

 interior dry and of uniform temperature. In winter ihe bees 

 are comfortable, their hibernation is more complete, and so 

 they require less food. Brood-raising in early spring forges 

 ahead betimes. In the summer heats the hive remains cool, 

 and the tendency to swarming is lessened. ^loreover, because 

 the hives keep dry under all conditions, the bee-keeper can 

 leave their entrances wide open at all times of year, thus pro- 

 viding abundant means of ventilation; and plenty of fresh air 

 means hardy, vigorous, disease-resisting bees. It stands to 

 i-eason that bees of that fettle must always prove the best 

 honey-makers. 



In the end, therefore, at the cost of a little extra trouble 

 and timber, the cottager has not only given his children an 

 unlimited supply of body and brain-building food throughout 

 the year, but has probably paid his rent, and butcher's and 

 baker's bills into the bargain. 



