BEE-CULTURE. 
72 
what will make a good strong colony may be given off in 
swarms to increase the stock. Authors differ a little as to tho 
size of a hive best calculated to produce the most honey and 
swarms consistently with the highest prosperity of the bees. 
Some recommend hives containing so few as fifteen hundred 
cubic inches, while others think about twenty-eight hundred 
(about one bushel), is the best size. Bees have done well in 
both these sizes. The Eddie hive, and others, containing 
seventeen hundred cubic inches, of which there are many in 
this region, do very well. Small hives arc perhaps the most 
profitable in good seasons, yielding the most swarms and sur- 
plus honey, but are most precarious in bad seasons. The 
hive which I use mainly contains two thousand and sixty-eight 
cubic inches ; everything considered, I think this size as good 
as any. Such a hive, if full, will contain fifty pounds of honey. 
Of course it is never full when occupied with bees, as a por- 
tion of the combs tbat would likely contain ten or fifteen 
pounds of honey will be filled with brood at the time that bees 
are storing boney. But as not one colony in fifty will con- 
sume twenty-five pounds of honey (the average is perhaps 
under twenty pounds consumed from November to April), 
there will be considerable surplus in such a hive if it has been 
reasonably well filled. I have observed a colony that will not 
fill a small hive will not fill a large one. The only advantage 
in the large size is, that a surplus of honey may be kept over 
from year to year to be ready for a season in which they can- 
not fill thoir hives. Instead of keeping much more honey in 
the hive than is yearly needed, I prefer to have a few full 
frames or surplus boxes on hand, and in case a colony is likely 
to starve give them a box or frame, or feed them otherwise. 
This size of hive is used with entire satisfaction by the most 
extensive bee-keepers two degrees north of here, where the win- 
ters are longer; yet if I was compelled to change the size of my 
hive I would make it larger instead of smaller. In the sized 
hive I use the bees will generally keep it well filled, which is 
desirable. It gives room for brood equal to the laying capac- 
ity of most of queens, and gives off very respectable sized 
swarms, and will give them earlier than a larger hive will. 
SHAPE OF HIVES. 
The shape of a hive is of no great importance. A hive 
nearly square is perhaps best, as it enables them to keep their 
