HIVES. 
27 
side of each drawer, and twenty-four in the bottom of 
the upper drawer, and holes in the top and bottom of 
the lower drawers, to correspond, and slides to cut off 
the communication when occasion may require. Thus 
we see our hive may be one hive, with communication 
sufficiently free throughout, or we may have three 
hives combined. The drawers have, tubes made in 
them, (for the bees to pass and repass), which are made 
to go through the front side of the hive. The back- 
side of the drawers are doors, with glass set in them. 
These drawers set up from the bottom of the hive, 
and rest on pieces of wood, closely fitted in such a 
way, as to make a space under the drawers for the 
dirt, dead bees, and water, which collect in the bottom 
of hives in winter ; between the drawers and the out- 
side is an air space of about one-third of an inch. 
These hives, when well made and painted, will 
last many years, and those doing much in the business 
will find it an advantage to have a few extra drawers. 
Having given you some idea of the construction of 
the changeable hive, I will proceed to notice some of 
the most important reasons why I prefer this hive to 
any I have yet seen. First because the hive, being 
constructed upon the changeable principle, so that by 
taking out a full drawer, and placing an empty one in 
its stead, our comb is always kept new, wherefore, the 
size of the bee is preserved, and kept in a more 
healthy, or prosperous state, or condition, than when 
obliged to remain and continue to breed, in the old 
comb, when the cells have become small. Secondly, 
because small, late swarms may be easily united. 
