92 
THE AUSTRAUAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
of the tube in the stand when floor-board is in 
position on stand. Into the bottom end of this 
tube two holes are drilled, into which a piece of 
wire is fixed to act as stops, thus preventing the J 
withdrawal of the tube fixed in floor-board when 
hive is in position. This is the hinge or pivot 
which allows the hive to be turned in any position 
without any danger of stopping up the entrance. 
The sides and middle partition are made of four 
cut stuff, and without ihe tenons at end 
must measure 17^ x 2%. The piece used for the 
centre division must have a small archway cut in 
the tenoned end just where it partially covers the 
entrance in floor-board, and on each side two 
grooves are cut along to its entire length at a ; 
distance of l^g-inch from each other, measuring , 
from their inside edges. The two ends must have 
corresponding grooves cut, but only on one side of 
each These grooves are for the purpose of 
accommodating the glass slides. The bottom 
board must also have grooves cut to accommodate 
the bottom edges of the glass sides. Eight pieces 
of wood measuring xi^x)( must now be cut 
out and fixed equidistant from each other between 
each pair of grooves in sides and centre partition. 
These are for the lugs — which must be shortened 
—of the frames to rest upon, and form the inside 
surface of ends of hive. The tops of each of ends 
and centre partition must be braced together by 
means of narrow moulding tenoned into each. The 
cover is made in the same manner as the unicomb 
hive, but should have a ventilator, to be used as 
occasion requires, in the centre. It is also 
advisable to make one in each end at top, as olten 
a colony in an observatory hive is obliged to be 
disturbed, and so excited, when the lise in the 
temperature consequent on same would be very 
detrimental to the colony. The glass sides are 
each formed of two sheets of glass. The frames 
are placed in position by withdrawing the glass 
from one side. Ornamentation can be left to the 
maker’s taste, but should always be very plain. 
This hive must be made of hard wood, a soft wood 
would not stand the strain at the tenons. 
Many of these hives are made with double glass 
sides, which are an improvement. Others are 
provided with shutters to keep out the light when 
not required for observation. All observatory 
hives must have an outside cover well lined with 
thick felt. 
It is quite possible for an amateur to construct 
an observatory hive. We i-aw one at Felton in 
Northumberland, made by an ex-sailor, which 
answered admirably out-of-doors during the 
summer months. The bees must be removed into 
an ordinary frame hive during early spring, late 
autumn, and winter. None but straight combs 
can be used. It is advisable that these shouid be 
prepared specially between separators . — British 
Bee journal. 
almost the opposite to what he anticipated. For 
example, he watches an experienced apiarist go 
into the top of a tall tree, and cut off a limb on 
which is clustered a swarm of bees, and carry it 
safely to the ground and hive the bees. He thinks 
that it is a very simple and easy thing to do : and 
so it is. But a few days later, when he essays to 
hive a swarm that he finds on one of his apple trees, 
and he becomes the chief actor instead of the spec- 
tator standing at a safe distance, the thing appears 
very different to him. He sees from a different 
standpoint. On the topmost round of the 
ladder, balancing himself with his knee against 
a limb, both arms extended, holding the limb 
on which the bees are clustered with one 
hand and sawing it off with the other, muscles 
quivering, the sweat pouring down his face, the 
bees buzzing inconveniently near his eyes, what 
wonder if, on attempting to go down the ladder, 
his eyes fixed on the cluster of bees, he makes a 
misstep, and “ Jack and Jill” fashon, “tumbles 
down and cracks his crown,” and the bees come 
buzzing after. Then, again, he watches an ex- 
perienced beekeeper open up a hive, take out the 
frames and look them over, cutting out a queen 
cell here and a drone comb there, and he thinks I 
the old man’s slow and deliberate movements are 
due to the infirmities of old age : and he goes home 
full of conceit of what he can do with his bees, and 
how much more quickly he can do it. But after 
several attempts he begins to learn that old adage, 
“ The more haste the less speed.” I do not know 
of anything that will knock the conceit out of a 
man quicker than to find himself face to face with 
a colony of excited bees ; compelled to move very 
deliberately while the bees are doing just the 
opposite, and having it all their own way with 
him. I know how it is, for I have been there my- 
self. And here let me say to my young beekeeping 
friends, pay no attention to what old beekeepers 
say about never using gloves or a veil when mani- 
pulating bees. I know it is safe to wear gloves 
and a veil. If you are at all nervous, as most young 
beekeepers will be, theae articles will reassure you 
you and in any case will prevent many a sting. I 
do not, on a'iy account, wish to intimate that you 
would care for a few stings, but, you know, it kills 
j the bees. But there are many experiences about 
I beekeeping that are really pleasant. It is pleasant 
to watch them in early spring, and learn their ways 
and methods. Later on it is pleasant to supply 
them with needed surplus storage. It is aiso 
pleasant, during the honey flow, to note from day 
to day the increase of honey in the sections. It is 
| pleasant to take off large amounts of honey from 
each hive and sell it for a good price. And I pre- 
j surae all will agree that it is pleasant to eat it, 
providing you do not eat too much at a time. In 
' fact, when you and the bees become good friends 
all goes pleasantly. — Agriculture. 
THE APIARY. 
Experience of a Beginner. 
On this subject Mr. Herrick writes as follows : — 
The experience of a beginner in beekeeping is a 
succession of surprises. For in this, more than in 
any other avocation, does he find that the reality is 
MATS OR QUILTS. 
If porous stuff like bagging be used, an open- 
( ing 3 inches wide is enough in Winter, if enamel 
• cloth is used a much wider opening will be re- 
quired according to the strength of the colony but 
never less than 5 or 6 inches. 
