3 
the system explained in this little work, and adopt the 
McDonald Improved Bee Hive, you may meet all these 
difficulties ana govern and control your bees the same 
as you do your horse, or sheep, or any other part of na- 
ture over which God has given man dominion. 
The first that the bee-raiser should know is that it 
takes a Queen and fifty thousand workers to make a 
perfect colony of bees, and that it takes a box that 
contains thirty-four hundred and fifty-six cubic inches 
to contain that many bees, together with the comb nce- 
essary for that number. 
The bee raiser must bring his colonies up to this de- 
gree of strength before he can either take stock or hon- 
ey from them. You might as well say that a fanner 
can do his work on his farm with his two year old colts 
successfully as to say that the bee raiser can be success- 
ful in keeping his bees in boxes that will only contain 
a half colony. We say this is absolutely impossible.— 
Therefore to be successful we must conform to the 
above rule. 
The McDonald Hive is made in two sections, precise- 
ly alike ; each being one cubic foot inside. When 
these two sections are brought together, they make the 
hive above named. We make the hive in sections that 
we may have the complete control of our bees. As 
soon as a colony fills one section the other must be ad- 
ded ; when both are full the bee-master may then pro- 
ceed to divide his bees instead of letting them swarm 
the natural way. Directions for doing this will be 
given hereafter. 
If you adopt the McDonald Hive and your bees are in 
good condition in the old hive you may let them swarm. 
We do not advise transferring unless your bees arc in 
a bad condition in the old hive. If you th nk you will 
lose them ; then, we say, transfer them, directions for 
doing which will be given hereafter. 
If the bee raiser uses the McDonald Hive he will hane 
them ready, and as the swarm comes off hive them in 
it. One section is all you need, when-your colony first 
comes off but you must add the other section as soon 
