166 
APIARIES. 
Transversns salices, et grandia conjiee saxa : 
Pontibus ut crebris possint consistere, et alas 
Pandere ad aestivum solem ; si forte morantes 
Sparserit, aut pr.ceeps Neptuno immerserit Eurus. 
Hite circum casife virides, et olentia late' 
Serpylla et graviter spirantis copia thymbrae 
Floreat : irriguumque bibant violaria fontem. 
Georg, iv. 
Hives are found of almost all shapes and sizes, and 
of various materials — circumstances influenced some- 
times by convenience, but oftener by the taste and 
fancy of the owners. In France, particularly, where 
the culture of the Bee has been much attended to, 
the variety of hives is very great ; but with few ex- 
ceptions, they appear to be remarkably deficient in 
simplicity. This is an important point to be attended 
to, both as regards the accommodation of the bees, 
and the convenience of the Bee-master. As far as 
respects the mere collection and storing of the honey, 
the kind of hive is but of secondary importance. If 
the season be propitious, and the country rich in 
flowers, the industrious collectors will cheerfully de- 
posit the fruit of their labours in any moderate-sized 
receptacle that appears to afford security and shelter. 
It is the interest of the owner, however, to ascertain 
what material and construction will answer best for 
sustaining an equable temperature during the heats 
of summer, and most effectually secure the comfort 
of the inmates during the severity of winter. And, 
besides these indispensable requisites, there are other 
considerations to be attended to in the structure of 
hives which, to the Naturalist and Amateur, are 
