Here are two comb-knives, which are useful on many occasions by using them, we can cut easily and speedily honeycombs from common hives. The one with chisel end is used for cutting the combs from the sides of hives, and splitting them elsewhere. The other is a small rod of steel, not more than a quarter of an inch thick, with a thin blade at the end 1 inch long, both edges sharp, for cutting the combs from the crowns of the hives,

or crosswise elsewhere. To those who have a preference for bar-frame hives, let us suggest the desirability of having them made of straw, neatly and firmly sewed to the outer frames, and large enough to hold 13 or 14 bars each. It would be no difficult matter to have hives of this kind made, more pleasing to the eye, and much better every way, than any we have yet seen. An accomplished Scotch skep-maker would produce hives that would eclipse those made in the south, the straw of which is simply laid in so thinly, that any one can put his finger through it.

The latest improvement to the bar-frame hive consists in the substitution of "a quilt" for the wooden top. The inventor is of course a dealer, and till the invention was completed, no one heard of the wooden tops being at fault. In the language of the inventor, we shall now let the reader have a description of the quilt. He says: "For all crown covers, it is the very best for winter use, because it permits the escape of all noxious vapours from the hive, as soon as they are generated. The quilt arrangement comprises a piece of carpet, or other material of hard tex

ture, with a hole in the centre for feeding purposes; two or three thicknesses of felt, flannel, or other porous materials, each with a hole in its centre of similar size as that in the carpet; a piece of perforated zinc or vulcanite as a feeding-stage; a pad like a kettle-holder to lay upon the vulcanite; a folded sack, blanket, or rug laid upon the whole, after which the roof may be put on, and should be fastened to prevent blowing off. If closely covered, the whole arrangement will become sopping wet, simply because the vapours cannot escape."

I think no intelligent bee-keeper, after reading this description, will covet or ever purchase such lids; and it grieves one to know that, after discovering the unsuitability of wood as material for hives, the inventor has not hit upon something better and more sightly than a quilt made of carpet, felt, vulcanite, a pad, a folded sack or blanket, and a roof.

This quilt will soon be cast aside for something very much better. What will it be? We cannot tell the reader what will come next, but we agree with Mr Quinby that there is "nothing equal to straw for straining moisture out of hives." If wood is unsuitable for the crowns or tops of hives, it is equally unsuitable for their sides.

Guide-Combs and Cross-Sticks.

Guide-combs are simply little bits of clean old comb (the older the better) about two inches wide and one or two inches deep, fastened to labels, such as are used for naming plants. Well, the label and bit of comb are laid together, and cemented by dropping between them a little melted wax. This is best done by holding a warm poker over the two, and touching it with a bit of wax. The poker should be just warm enough to melt the wax: if too hot, the wax will boil and melt the guide-comb as it

falls. When the wood and comb are thus cemented together, the wood is nailed in the crown of an empty hive, as a guide to the bees to build their combs running from front to back. When the combs are so built, the bees can see the door from the centre of the hive, or anything going in at the door, which they could not do if the combs ran from side to side.

As soon as the guide-comb is nailed into an empty hive, we drive cross-sticks across the hive, from side to side. In a 16-inch hive we use four and five, and in an 18-inch hive we use five and six cross-sticks.

As soon as the combs are well started from the crown of the hive, they are securely fastened to the top centrestick; and as they are enlarged they are cemented to the other sticks. The bottom sticks should be at least four inches above the board; for if less, the bees sometimes do not close their combs round them. Hives thus sticked and filled with combs may be safely removed from one end of the country to the other.

Another advantage of using sticks in hives is this, that the bees, being great economists, use them for cross-lanes. Where the combs cross the sticks, and are fastened to them, the bees leave little holes or doors in the combs, which they use as passages from comb to comb. They thus shorten their journeys for indoor work. In hives without sticks, such byways and convenient passages are very rare indeed.

The Leaf or Unicomb Hive.

This may be called "The Observatory Hive," for no other hive can be compared to it for observation; and it appears to us that no other is necessary. In this hive every bee, and all it does, can be seen, as well as all the movements of the queen and the attention she receives. A square or round hive with glass windows is all but useless for observing what goes on inside. All that can be seen in them are some combs and bees next the windows. But when there is only one comb with glass on each side of it, there is opportunity given for witnessing the internal operations of a bee-hive. As the unicomb hive is not meant for honey or profit, we need say little about it. To those engaged in the investigation of the habits of bees, we strongly recommend the use of unicomb hives.

CHAPTER XV. ·

BOARDS.

Boards should be about 1 inch wider than the hives standing on them. They are best when made of one piece, without seam or junction. But whether made of one piece or two, it is necessary to nail two bars of wood on the under side of each board, to keep it from warping or twisting. The wood of which boards are made should be either or 1 inch thick.

The flight-boards should be 7 inches in diameter. Small flight-boards are objectionable, for bees returning with heavy loads often miss them. This is not all; for

bees require breathing-room at their doors, as well as a broad landing-stage. All birds and insects fill their bodies with air before they take wing. A pheasant hops while he does this, and a pigeon does it by taking two or three deep inspirations. If the pheasant is suddenly disturbed, and has to rise without hopping a bit, he does rise, but so heavily and slowly-with a great cackling noise-that he is often knocked down by the shot of the sportsman ere he gets a fair start.

If bees have a broad flight-board they run in and out quickly.

D

Two boards marked for sawing out of a deal board.

The Door of the Hive.

Some bee-keepers have channels cut in the boards for doors. Where this is done, the flight-boards are uneven and unlevel; but the hives are uncut. We prefer level boards, with doors 4 inches wide and 1 inch high cut in the hives. Our system of feeding, which will be mentioned hereafter, requires the flight-boards to be level.