172 
HIVES. 
are two small rods which, on the top being brought 
close down on the body b, serve, by being fastened 
together, to keep the former steadily in its place. 
This hive possesses no superiority over the common 
storied ones, of which it is a modification ; and the 
plan of retaining the same combs in the body of the 
hive for a series of years, must prove decidedly in- 
jurious to the prosperity of the colony. 
Of the straw hives here described, we give a de- 
cided preference to that of Wildinan, both in respect 
to material and construction, maintaining, as it does, 
a constant equability of temperature, and enabling 
the operator to practise the mode of partial depriva- 
tion, which will be afterwards described. We think, 
however, the dimensions may be enlarged with ad- 
vantage, and would recommend the diameter to be 
1 2 inches instead of 1 0, and the height of each story 
to be 7^ inches instead of 7. This will bring the 
hive, when consisting of two stories, to the capacity 
of a solid foot. It will be of advantage, also, to have 
the upper and lower bands of each story worked 
double, the one exterior to the other, as represented 
in Plate X., fig. 3. This will contribute greatly to 
the steadiness of the hive, and afford the means of 
connecting the stories firmly together by pack-thread 
or wooden pins. 
Bee-Boxes . — The respective merits of straw-hives 
and bee-boxes have often been made the subject of 
discussion. Certainly those of straw have a decided 
superiority over those of wood, in respect to their 
capability of maintaining an equable temperature. 
