DEVICES FOR HIVES. 
71 
placed on tho side of the hive, on the top or at the bottom, 
or the side of the hive removed to take the honey ; some are 
made with special reference to feeding, or wintering, or rob- 
bery, or ventilation, and a vast number with reference to get- 
ting rid of the moth. I doubt not that under favorable cir- 
cumstances bees have done well in every one of them, and 
premiums and the most glowing recommendations can be had 
for each of them. But I feel more certain that under adverse 
circumstances bees have doDe badly in each of them. It is 
not well to be elated by the eulogies bestowed^by the mass of 
bee keepers on a hive one may be interested in, nor depressed 
by their blame. For if the circumstances are good for bees 
they will do well, and people will like their hives; but if 
from any cause the bees do not prosper the reputation of the 
hive is in danger. Yet I am glad to know there are begin- 
ning to be many who are capable of rendering a rational 
judgment of a hive. Having studied the various systems of 
bee keeping in this country and in European countries, where 
it is more of a business than here ; and having for many 
years devoted my time exclusively to the practical operations 
cf bee-culture; having had something to do with almost 
every conceivable style of hive, though I do not profess to 
know near all about bees that may be kuown, — yet I hope that 
I am better capable of judging of the necessary qualities of a 
good hive than one whose knowledge is limited to that ac- 
quired from the experience of having kept a few hives of 
bees. 
Although I may be personally interested in recommending 
one hive over another I will aim to suppress all interested 
feelings while I state what I consider the requisites of a good 
hive, remembering that it would not at all likely be to my 
advantage, expecting as I do to make bee-keeping my perma- 
nent business, to use myself and recommend to others any 
hive that is materially defective in any particular. The 
main object in keeping bees is profits in honey. This can 
only be best attained by keeping the bees in the most vigor- 
ous and prosperous condition : as in keeping other stock we 
aim at keeping it in the most flourishing condition, and after 
that take all out of it we can. To keep anything at the low- 
est point of existence is the poorest kind of economy. 
Bees require for their dwelling a dark, dry, warm cavity. 
It must contain space enough to give the queen capacity for 
