of the fir and the asp. These boards must not be less than one and a half inch thick; they must be sound, thoroughly seasoned, and well joined together with wooden nails.

The Height of the Hive.-Each hive is generally from 3 feet 6 inches to 5 feet high.

The Shape of the Hive.-The proper shape must necessarily be retained as represented in the plate, as this affords not only a firm foundation for resisting storms and winds, but also facilitates a swift descent for all kinds of moisture; which circumstance must be strictly attended to, as the effects of humidity operate like a pestilence on the health of the bees—an additional reason why the straw-hives or skeps of this country must prove prejudicial to the comfort and prosperity of this insect.

The Breadth of the Hive.-It matters not of what extent the diameter be, provided in the construction of the hive, as given in Plate II., the due proportion be observed. But the size generally adopted is the following:-Diameter at the top, 8 inches at least, and at the bottom 20 inches; increasing only at the bottom 2 inches for every half foot of height above the indispensable height of 3 feet, to retain the shape of the hive as it is clearly given in the plate.

The Cover of the Hive.-The top of the hive must be covered by a round lid, made of the

same boards as the body of the hive, and must be seamed in, about an inch deep inside the top of the hive, in such a manner as to prevent its falling out; and a strong wooden handle, as low as possible, must be fixed on the centre of the lid, to facilitate the opening of the top of the hive when required.

The Cordage of the Hive.-The hive must be corded round from the top exactly to its middle. This rope must be about the thickness of a finger, and twisted so hard as to be rendered incapable of imbibing rain, as represented at M, Plate II.

The Entrance for the Bees.-The entrance is made in front, in a triangular form, as at D; each side of the triangle ought to be about 1 inch in length; some have the entrance made parallel, about 4 inches high, and only as wide as is wanted for a single bee to pass commodiously.

The Doors of the Hive.-The hive is generally without a door, as the opening at the bottom. answers for all that is necessary; especially those hives that are destined for yearly colonies, which are beaten out in the autumn, and which is only practised in extensive bee-gardens, do not require to have doors. But almost every apiarian makes doors in those hives which are destined for the winter-stock or seed, because the honey is taken in combs only from those hives. Such door is cut in, on the back side of the hive, that

is, opposite the entrance for the bees, and is about 18 inches long, and 6 inches wide, beginning from the middle of the hive towards the bottom.

The Roof of the Hive.-The roof of the hive is covered with a clay pan of a large size, but placed in such a manner that the bottom of the pan must be elevated a few inches from the lid; that is, the bottom of the pan must be at least 1 inch less in diameter than the top of the hive.

VII. DESCRIPTION OF THE HIVE, AS USED IN LITHUANIA, AND OTHER NORTHERN PROVINCES OF POLAND.

These hives are made from the trunks of trees, the height of some of them being generally 5 feet and a few inches. The interior is well planed; the thickness of the wood varies from 3 to 5 inches; the circumference according to that of the tree. The top of the hive is well covered with a wooden lid, 2 inches thick; the roof is made of straw, on the top of which a clay pan is placed. The entrance for the bees is made perpendicularly, and about 6 inches long, one-third of an inch in breadth being cut in, in an oblique direction from the outside. The door is about 20 inches long, and 6 inches wide, cut in on the opposite side of the entrance; a few inches more or less are of no consequence. The hive is placed upon a board, which is fixed to a trestle about a

foot from the ground. Some of the Lithuanians, who inhabit the forests, tie their hives near the top of a large tree, and smear a ring of tar mixed with sulphur round the tree, about 2 yards from the bottom, in order to prevent vermin from creeping up to molest the bees. In this position they are exposed to the vicissitudes of the weather; but the body of the frame-work being thick and compact, the bees are not at all affected by the change of the seasons. In this manner they are kept for years till the wood begins to decay; then they transfer the swarm to a new hive.

As these hives are mostly replaced by the Podolian ones described above, whose superiority has been long acknowledged by every extensive beekeeper through all Poland and Moscovia, I have mentioned them only as a matter of curiosity.

VIII. DESCRIPTION OF THE HIVE AS USED BY THE

MOSCOVITES.

Their hive is an imitation of the Podolian one, only with this difference, that instead of constructing it of boards, they use the trunk of a tree, like the Lithuanians, retaining the management of the former in all other particulars.

IX. THE PROPER SITUATION OF BEE-GARDENS.

The cottages of Poland are found only in the vicinity of towns; for what we term villages in Poland, consist of the houses of small farms in the same locality, of which the number varies from 50 to 1000, and constitutes an estate.

The number was annually augmenting, until checked by the aggressive inroads of Moscovia, Austria, and Prussia.

During the period of vassalage in Poland, those small farms were allowed to each married peasant to cultivate for his own benefit, who, instead of paying the rent in money, was bound to afford labour in improving the estate of his landlord, according to the extent of his farm.

Those peasants enjoyed the protection and support of their master so far, that, in case of their cattle being cut off by disease, or their seed failing, they were restocked by their suzerain or superior; when their buildings decayed, new ones were built for them, and every other implement necessary to a husbandman was granted them in the same manner; even when they, or any of their family, were attacked by sickness, they received medical advice and medicine gratis. It is true that they were obliged to labour at the call of their master, but for every day they worked beyond the time their master had a right to