THE WISCON8IN FARMER.



sides. A hole is made in the top and a rudely
construoted box placed over it, into which but
a limited amount of the warm and peculiarly
scented air of the hive is admitted, as the ori-
fice will have connection with but one or two
of the spaces between the ranges of comb.
And what air does pass into the chamber is
rapidly discharged through open joints, thus
forming a means of partial ventilation, instead
of attractive surroundings and arrangements
that will cause the bees to feel as much at home
there as when among their brood with their
queen.
  In the first place, the hive should be in pos-
session of a young, prolific queen, ordinarily
not more than three years old. The hive must
be shallow and broad, thus bringing the supers
in close contact with the great body of bees
and young brood, also to facilitate rapid breed-
ing, where many more eggs can be kept at a
hatching temperature than can be in a tall,
narrow hive.
  But, while on this matter of a shallow hive,
we will be pardoned for dwelling at some
length, as it is at variance with the notions of
many bee keepers, whose apiaries have for
many years been graced with these tall monu-
ments of bee killing, sulphur-pit experience.
  To Taylor's Manual, London 1860, we will
again refer:* Speaking of the form of a hive,
he says, page 28:-" It may be well, in this
connection, to introduce the observations of
Gelieu. 'One of my chief objects,' says he,
' has been to ascertain what shape of hive is
the most profitable; and with this view I have
tried all the different kinds, and have invaria-
bly remarked that bees thrive better in low
hives than in high ones; that, in general,
those which are broad and flat amass more
honey, thrive better, and give out stronger
and earlier swarms than ihose which are high.'
A hive thrives only in proportion to the suc-
cess or perfection of its brood combs in the
spring. It is, therefore, of great importance
to keep up the necessary degree of heat for

  * I have special reasons for not quoting from the lead-
I neg American works on thif subject, though more import-
ant references might be hb.d frem them.



the hatching of the brood. If, at that time,
the bees are lodged in high and roomy hives,
they will crowd together in vain, and the heat
ascending is lost in the empty space above.
This never happens in low, flat hives, where it
is more easily concentrated."
  Again, on page 81, referring to Mr. Payne,
whom he calls " one of the most experienced
of cottage bee keepers," he says:-- He saw
reasons for altering the dimensions of hives
from twelve inches wide to fourteen, and seven
or sometimes eight inches in height (both in-
side measure)."
  Again on page 52, he says:-" tA fair aver-
age size for a plain hive is eleven and a half
inches square, by eight inches deep, within-
side; or perhaps better, twelve by seven or
seven and a half inches, clear." And on page
56 of same work, on authority of Dr. Bevan
(who recommends a low hive), and giving a
description of his hive, he says:-" The di-
mensions withinside are thirteen and a quarter
inches square, the heightbeing seven inches."
  The American Bee Journal, 1861, page 126,
gives the results of Mr. Hiram Hamilton's ex-
periments in California, in 1860, where Mr. It.
declares that thirty-five hives of bees were
increased to five hundred in one season, and
shows how it was accomplished, and also
shows the comparative merits of deep and shal-
low hives, as ten of the thirty-five swarms
were in hives from fourteen to sixteen inches
in depth, and twenty-five were in shallow hives,
net more than eight or nine inches deep. All
of them being managed alike, the ten deep
hives increased to but seventy-fire, or seven
fold and a half; while the twenty-five shallow
ones increased to FOUa HUNDRED ANID TwENTY-
FIVE, or sevanteen fold!
  But enough on th'is point, Now let the hive
be so arranged as to allow a free passage of
air from every part of it into any or all the
boxes or receptacles for surplus honey, and
the bees to be as rieadily admitted from any
part of the breeding chamber into these same
receptacles.  This important item can be ac-
complished only by the use of bars or frames.
to which the combs will be attached.



29 R