MANAGING BEES. 
9 
in drawers than caps, which are more expos- 
ed to the cold and damp air ol night. 
Drawers should he small, like No. 2, 4, and 
S, for all purposes except such as are used for 
multiplying colonies and transferring swarms, 
which should always he large, like No. 1. 
Hives should have cleats on their sides, so 
as to suspend them in the air, some distance 
from the floor of the apiary, the better to se- 
cure the bees from destruction by mice, rep- 
tiles, and other vermin. 
The back side, or rear of the lower apart- 
ment of the hive, should slant forward so as 
to render the same smallest at the bottom, the 
better to secure the combs from falling when 
cracked by frost, or nearly melted in hot 
weather. 
No timbers or boards should be placed 
very near the lower edge of the hive, because 
it facilitates the entrance of depredators. That 
the back side should slant forward, is obvi- 
ous fiorn the fact, that bees generally rest one 
edge of their combs on that side, and build 
towards the front in such a manner as to en- 
ter upon the same sheet where they intend to 
