Bee-keeping for the Many; or, The management of the common and Ligurian honey bee / Including the selection of hives and a bee-keeper's calendar

by J. H. Payne

FENN'S HIVE.

There is an admirable hive contrived by Mr. Robert Fenn, of Woodstock, described in the Journal of Horticulture, and which has proved one of the best of what may be called "cottage hives." It consists of a straw hive, [fig. 13, 3], 16 inches in diameter, 11 inches deep, straight-sided, quite flat on the top, the permanent mahogany adapting board having a central hole about 3 inches in diameter, over which is placed a thinnish round of plaited straw, slightly secured with wall nails, though sufficiently so to prevent the egress of the Bees. Two pieces of hard-wood sticks run completely and centrally through at right angles to support the comb. The central hole of the adapter, [fig. 9], is fitted with a moveable round piece of thin deal that fits exactly to the size of the hole, and this is supported by four pins that are let into the sides of the hole, and project about one-eighth of an inch, so as to allow the flap to rest upon them. The edges of the rounded flap are cutaway as represented [fig. 9], so as to leave openings between the flap and the adapter of not more than one-quarter of an inch, which will admit the worker Bees to ascend upwards, but not the queen or the drones. Two other openings may be cut not quite one-quarter of an inch broad, and three-quarters of an inch from the sides. Two rows of holes may be bored, or a slit too narrow to allow a Bee to pass, may be formed along the centre of the flap to act as an air-passage. A strip of paper pasted to the flap and the adapter will form a sort of house. Paste another piece of adhesive on at the opposite end of the flap only. When the permanent adapting board is placed—for it is never removed during the honey-gathering season—upon the hive, take off the small round piece of plaited straw from the top central hole, and quickly place a glass tumbler inverted over the hole, which effectually prevents a Bee from escaping to place itself in jeopardy or to annoy the operator. Then if the top of the hive is at all sunken, which is frequently the case, have small deal fillets ([fig. 8]), a trifle wider in diameter than the central hole of the adapter, and of various depths, to slip over the tumbler, and a wind of cotton wadding also to lay nearly around the outside circumference on the top of the hive.

Fig. 8.

Then place on the permanent adapting board (fig. 9), when the tumbler will obtrude itself up through the flaphole, and no insect will ever be able to pass the cotton wadding one way, nor, by reason of the fillet, will the Bees be able to go between the hive and the adapter on the other. Now moisten the end of the adhesive paper, quickly take away the tumbler, down with the flap, press the adhesive paper on to the board, and place the super-board ([fig, 10]), which must have a flap in its centre to exactly correspond with the one below. Two guide pencil-marks on each board, previously marked, will point out their proper positions; and by reason of these duplicate openings in the flaps it will be seen by illustration to admit of two glasses ([fig. 10 a a]), being worked in lieu of one, which is another great point gained in a good and early honey season. Now slip a carpet-bag over the glasses to keep them warm, and the super-over-hive over that; and then cover the whole with a brown glazed milk-pan.

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10.

Fig. 11.

[Fig. 11] is a second small super-board to correspond with the above, excepting that the central hole remains without a flap; for, unless double supers are worked throughout the season, a third flap is unnecessary, and the super 3 inches high or so, and of any diameter one likes coming within the measurement of the board, is of wood, glass, or straw. These are mostly fig-drums cut in halves, or at least to the required depth, having a piece of glass let nearest the board, so as to admit of one's seeing when the Bees have nearly completed their combs, and are ready for another. When the time arrives, when it will be seen by examination that the Bees have nearly completed their honey-combs in the glasses, and are in want of more room; all that one has to do to accommodate them is merely to lift up board and glasses, [fig. 10], slip a board and super and fillet on top in its place, [fig. 11], and set [fig. 10] on the top of it, which will then represent [fig. 13]. The narrow fillet will prevent the board from coming flush down on the top of the newly-inserted super, which has a hole of only about 1¹/₂ inch in diameter in its top; a second small super-board would answer this same purpose—viz., leave a vacuum there for the Bees to ascend to complete the sealing-over of their combs in the glasses, which they will presently do, and till when, of course, the pieces of carpeting and super-over-hive is reinstated.

Payne's straw supers are generally used for the third removes. They cost there about 1s. each of Mr. Major in the Traverse, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk.

Fig. 12.

Fig. 13.

[Fig. 12] is the super-over-hive, a foot deep, and about 14 inches inside diameter. Holes are worked in their tops, about 3 inches in diameter, the same as for the Bee hives, to allow the foul air to circulate up and away, or the top may be omitted altogether as is represented in engraving.