HIVES FOR BEE-KEEPERS, 
55 
owner ; but with such an addition it would winter 
colonies better than many. 
To introduce all the uses to which this hive might 
be put, would be premature ; but let it here be noticed, 
that it is perfectly elastic, and capable of equally well 
accommodating a nucleus of two or three frames 
(see “Queen-raising”), or a full colony, since the 
dummy (d) may be placed in any position. In 
ordinary hives, close-fitting dummies (which are really 
the only effective ones) soon become so fixed with 
propolis that it is difficult to remove them, but here 
the absence of the fourth side makes it easy. The 
sides (.S', i-) have a certain small amount of play, and, 
by drawing their free corners somewhat apart, the 
propolis is cracked, and the division-board made free ; 
carefully rubbing the edges and bottom of the latter 
with tallow or vaseline once or twice in a season will 
greatly aid the operation. Since it is desirable that 
the sides fit closely up to the division-board, they 
may be tightened up thus : At the free corners and 
the middle of the bottom board fix round-headed nails 
{n, n, n), and make a tube-like ring by coiling a piece 
of bell-wire eight or ten times. Fasten a well-waxed 
and loose string over the two upper nails. Double 
the string in the middle, and pass it through the coiled 
wire {w). Putting the centre over the lower nail, and 
pushing up the coil, will tighten the string, and bring 
the sides so up to the division-boards that there will 
be no leak of heated air. A trial or two will deter- 
mine the best length for the string, but most bee- 
keepers would content themselves with the two upper 
nails, over which a string could be fastened very 
