BOX FOR PACKING.
The sides of this ([Fig, 101, a, a]), facing east and west are three and a half feet long, two feet high on the south end, and two and a half feet on the north. They are in one piece, which is secured by nailing the boards which form them to cleats, which are one inch from the ends. The north end ([Fig, 101, b]) is three feet by two and a half feet, the south ([Fig. 101, b]), three feet by two, and made the same as are the sides. The slanting top of the sides ([Fig. 101, a, a]) is made by using for the upper board, the strip formed by sawing diagonally from corner to corner a board six inches wide and three feet long. The cover ([Fig. 101, g]), which is removed in the figure, is large enough to cover the top and project one inch at both ends. It should be battened, and held in one piece by cleats ([Fig. 101, h]) four inches wide, nailed on to the ends. These will drop over the ends of the box, and thus hold the cover in place, and prevent rain and snow from driving in. When in place this slanting cover permits the rain to run off easily, and will dry quickly after a storm. By a single nail at each corner the four sides may be tacked together about the hives, when they can be packed in with straw ([Fig. 101]), which should be carefully done if the day is cold, so as not to disquiet the bees. At the centre and bottom of the east side ([Fig. 101, c]), cut out a square eight inches each way, and between this and the hive place a bottomless tube (the top of this tube is represented as removed in figure to show entrance to hive), before putting around the straw and adding the cover. This box should be put in place before the bleak cold days of November, and retained in position till the stormy winds of April are passed by. This permits the bees to fly when very warm weather comes in winter or spring, and requires no attention from the apiarist. By placing two or three hives close together in autumn—yet never move the colonies more than three or four feet at any one time, as such removals involve the loss of many bees—one box may be made to cover all, and at less expense. Late in April these may be removed and packed away, and the straw carried away, or removed a short distance and burned.