100 
TITE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Mat 17, 1859. 
results. About ten years since the inventor obtained a single 
box, containing 66lbs. nett of the purest possible honeycomb; 
one of the combs being more than lO lbs. in weight. Last year, 
I took off a super, with 30 lbs. nett, of equally prime quality. 
So much for what the hive is capable of doing. 1 will now 
describe my own, premising that some little modification may be 
made to suit localities. 
A is the stock-box 111 inches square inside, by 9 inches deep ; 
fitted witli seven moveable bars. It is made of f-inch stuff, or 
f-inch when planed, and to be well and truly dovetailed together, 
c is a very thin board used as an adapter, with four or five slits, 
f-inch wide and 8 inches in length, corresponding with the spaces 
between the bars. This is kept in place by four small screws, 
well greased. Also, when the bees are confined to the stock-box, 
a loose top of J-ineh is fastened down over the adapter ; both 
these being flush with the outsides of the box. b is the super, 
13 inches square, by 15 inches deep inside. This will allow 
about -g of an inch all round, between the two boxes when put 
together. It may be rather less than thb ; but care must be taken 
that the outer box slips up and down very easily. This is also 
of f-inch stuff, and dovetailed. It has eight bars, and is provided 
with a moveable top, which may be shaped according to fancy. 
A piece of narrow listing may be tacked on all round the out¬ 
side of the inner box, just below the adapter. But I have lately 
dispensed with it on the ground of its clogging the movement of 
the super; and I also fancied that its removal was beneficial in 
allowing some of the heated air to escape, thus tending to the 
purity of the honey. 
The window in the super is 10 inches high by 7 inches wide, 
the glass to be as nearly flush inside as possible, and closed by a 
sliding zinc shutter at d d; d is the floor-board; E is a strong 
zinc shutter, sliding up through a saw-cut in the floor-board, and 
through a slit in the side of the box at a a, to darken the window 
in the lower box. 
To work this hive, stock the lower box as usual, having first 
attached proper guide-combs to some of the bars, screwed on the 
adapter, and over that, fastened on the top. The super may then 
be let down over the stock-box, and a pretty wide roof, loosely 
resting on it, will form an admirable protection from sun or rain, 
either in summer or winter; 
"When the bees require an increase of room, draw out the 
screws from the top of the inner box; but leave the adapter 
fastened down. Start the top from the latter, so as to remove 
easily. Take off the top and the bars of the adjuster super, and 
attach a few good guide-combs of not more than five inches in 
depth. Gently lift out the top of the inner box, replace the bars 
and the top of the outer one, and leave all alone until the bees 
have taken fairly to work in the new store-room. As soon as the 
combs approximate the adapter (now the top of the stock hfre), 
lift the adjuster about an inch. It seems that bees, like Nature, 
abhor a vacuum ; and giving these slight additions to their space 
stimulates them to increased efforts in comb building. Still they 
must be afforded judiciously, and care taken that the upper 
portions of the works are being properly completed and filled 
with honey, or the bees may waste all their powers during a poor 
honey season in making a lot of empty combs; so great is the 
quantity of honey which is required to make a few ounces of 
wax. It will be seen, on reference to the diagram, that at the 
side of the hive is a sort of rackwork, cut out in the lower box 
at 6, and a stiff steel, or hard wood spring, is sunk on the inside 
of the upper box at c, which catches in each notch as it is lifted 
up. There is a small handle on the outside, by which the spring 
can be drawn in, so as to allow the box to be slipped easily down 
over the lower one. Should, however, the bees require much 
space, and the upper box become weighty, it would be advisable 
to give some additional support in the way of two or three upright 
rods, or by a screw at each corner. 
I have endeavoured to describe this hive as my own is made, 
but shall be happy to afford further information to any one who 
may require it. In some localities it might be advisable to lessen 
its capacity-a little—say, eight inches as the 'depth of the stock, 
and twelve or thirteen as that of the upper box. In this case, it 
would be better to fix a rim of wood, an inch thick by one and a 
Half in depth, all round the lower part of the stock-box for the 
super to rest on when down. This would improve its appearance, 
and afford the desired space of about five inches for the com¬ 
mencement of the works. 
Of course, when the super is taken away to be deprived of its 
contents, it will be necessary to replace the top on the stock-box. 
This must bo done by gently sliding it over the adapter in the 
same direction as the slits of communication, so that no bees may 
be crushed. 
Management fob May. —As might have been expected, the 
very favourable weather which prevailed for so long a time, and 
which proved such a stimulus in promoting the activity and pros¬ 
perity of our little favourites, has been succeeded by a continuance 
of cold and wet, which have operated as a check on their previous 
progress. But still they have continued to forage assiduously, 
even when the weather lias been so cold as to cause hundreds to 
be chilled and to meet with an untimely death; as they might 
be picked up in all directions within one hundred yards of the 
apiary. Still they must go out for the purpose of collecting 
supplies for their very increasing populations; and we must con¬ 
sole ourselves with the belief, that, after all, the proportion of 
deaths from these causes bears no comparison to that of the vast 
increase in the young bees. Asa proof thereof, one of my stocks, 
which appeared to lose the most of any, has to-day (May 5tli), 
“ played out so strong” (as they say in these parts), both drones 
and bees, as to make those who saw it declare that swarming 
could not be far distant. This is a swarm of last year, which 
issued on the 12th of May, so that the opinion may be correct; 
but I hope to prevent it. I find, on weighing some of my hives, 
that there has been an average decrease of about 1 j lbs. in four 
weeks. It will, therefore, if cold weather continue, still be ad¬ 
visable to inspect the stocks, and, perhaps, supply a little food to 
any that may be very weak andliglit. 
Last year I proved that this month is a very good time to 
unite two or more very weak families. It will answer far better 
to make one tolerably strong stock than to keep two or three poor 
ohes, which too often just linger on through the summer to die 
in the autumn. 
All strong depriving hives must now, or very soon, have the 
necessary enlargement of space afforded them. 
Common straw hives may be worked on this plan as well as 
the best-made boxes. All that is necessary is to make a board 
an inch thick, and twelve or fourteen inches wide, clamped at the 
ends, with a three-inch hole in the centre. Pass a sharp pocket- 
knife through the straw at the top of the hive, so as to cut out a 
piece of not less than four inches. Go round the cut a second 
time to be sure that the separation is complete. Take a lump of 
very soft-putty, and lay a thick ring all round the hole in the 
under part of the board, about an inch from it. The detached 
piece of straw may now be gently lifted away, the board adjusted 
on the hive, and pressed down so as to be well fixed in place. 
Put on a bell-glass, or some other receptacle, which will hold 
from 20 lbs. upwards. Of course all glasses must be darkened, 
and proper protection given to the hive from sun and rain. 
Even hives that are intended for swarming may be treated in 
this way ; but the store-room furnished them must not hold more 
than 8 lbs. or 10 lbs. at most. A thin board as an adapter 
should always be used, as it greatly facilitates the removal of a 
full glass or box. Taylor’s “ doubling board ” is also an admira¬ 
ble plan for working cottage hives. I once obtained a full butt 
of 35 lbs. after only four weeks’ work. 
The entrances of the hives should bo enlarged according to 
their strength. I prefer, in all strong colonics, to afford a five- 
inch opening at this time. It is useful in the case of bees crowd¬ 
ing home before a coming shower; and owing to the greater 
facility with which a tired bee can strike the entrance, I do not 
find so many chilled ones lying about in the general way. In 
weaker hives, and those intended for early swarming, to concen¬ 
trate more heat within a smaller opening may be advisable. Some 
of my apiarian friends use and recommend a much more contracted 
doorway for depriving-hives ; but my experience tends to prove 
that when bees have fairly commenced working in a super, they 
are much less likely to swarm, and thus disappoint the owner’s 
expectations, whore there is a large opening for the admission of 
air ; and are not so liable to form an exterior cluster of idle bees. 
—S. Beyan Eos, Exeter. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Eruption on Spanish Fowl (A Constant Sulso'iber). — '"Whether this 
would disqualify it depends on the nature and extent of the eruption. 
Give the bird a dessert-spoonful of castor oil, and rub the eruption with 
mild mercurial ointment. 
Swarm in Stock’s Place (B . A- ID).—The party you refer to has now 
no connection with this journal; and we must decline all correspondence 
either about or with him. 
