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For special purposes, such as the largest possible 
amount of honey with little or no increase, larger hives 
are needed. 
Shape. — On the shape of a hive many advantages 
depend : if too tall and slender, the cold in winter will 
affect the interior almost to its centre, and less box 
honey is obtained. But if too shallow, a large bottom 
surface is presented, making it necessary for the bees to 
spread in covering the lower part of the comb to protect 
them from the moth, thereby losing a large amount 
of heat for breeding. Their winter stores are also dis- 
trbuted over so large a surface and of so little depth, 
that although the heat arising from them as they cluster 
below it, will keep the honey warm directly above 
them, they soon consume that to the top of the hive ; 
and frequently, bees are found dead with plenty of 
honey around them. Even if the entire cluster of bees 
could be induced to vary from their course, pointed 
out by nature, and move altogether to either side in 
order to obtain the honey, it would be too cold to 
serve as their winter food. In warm days during win- 
ter, the cluster sometimes disperses in search of food ; 
yet, this is only the case when there are holes through 
the combs, as it is certain death for them to venture 
around, the edge of the frosty combs by which they are 
surrounded. Common box hives should be equal in 
length and width, and one-fourth higher than their 
width. 
