46 
HIVES. 
KIND OF WOOD, WIDTH OF BOARD, ETC. 
Of the kinds of wood for hives, pine is preferable, 
still other kinds will do ; I have no faith in bees liking 
one kind better than another, and less likely to leave 
on that account. Hemlock is cheaper, and used to a 
great extent ; when perfectly sound is as good as any- 
thing, but is very liable to split, even after the bees have 
been in them some time. It should be used only when 
better wood cannot be obtained. Bass wood when 
used for hives should always be painted, and then will 
be very liable to warp from the moisture arising from 
the bees inside. When not painted outside, and allowed 
to get wet, if only for a few hours, so much moisture 
is absorbed that it will bend outward, and cleave from 
the combs and crack them. A few days of dry weath- 
er will relieve the outside of water, and the inside 
kept moist by the bees, the bending will be reversed, 
and the combs pressed inward, keeping the bees fixing 
that which will not “ stay fixed.” Perhaps there is 
wood as suitable or better than pine, but it is not as 
common. 
Boards should be selected, if possible, that will be 
the proper width to make the hive about square, of 
the right size. Say twelve inches square, inside, by 
fourteen deep. I prefer this shape to any other, yet 
SHAPE OF NO CONSEQUENCE. 
it is not all important. I have had some ten inches 
square by twenty in length ; they were awkward look- 
ing, but that was all, I could discover no difference in 
their prosperitj'. Also, I have had them twelve inches 
deep by thirteen square, with the same result. Hence, 
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