This hive is well adapted for those persons who are desirous of having the opportunity of closely examining the workmanship of these industrious and interesting insects. It is particularly intended for a window recess or an indoor apiary; and will also be found an interesting addition to the green house. An aperture should be cut in the sash corresponding with the entrance to the hive, through which the bees may find egress and ingress, without being able to gain access to the apartment, as on the plan in the case of the Ladies' Observatory Hive.
The Unicomb Hive is constructed of so narrow a width between thin plates of glass that it admits of one comb only to be built, and at the same time leaves space between the comb and the glass on either side for the bees to pass and repass. It is thus made so that every bee may be exposed to view. The queen forming the most prominent feature of attention, she is readily distinguished by the greater length of her body, as well as by the attention paid to her by the other bees.
The mode of stocking this hive is as follows:—procure a strong swarm if practicable, and let it be first hived into a common straw hive in the usual way. Take care to make the necessary preparations previous to the operation of stocking; for this purpose first unscrew the top and take out the bar intended for the foundation of the comb. A sort of wooden trough, contrived to act as a funnel, is provided with this hive. It is in separate pieces, so as to be packed conveniently, and requires screwing together. The funnel must now be attached to the hive, and care be taken that it is quite firmly fixed—the metal plates are attached for this purpose. Having made these preparations at dusk, dash the bees out on to a cloth or sheet spread on the ground, place four pieces of wood so as to raise the hive a little from the cloth; then invert the hive so as to have the funnel downwards, placing it over the bees, and letting it rest on the four pieces of wood just named. In a short time (say half an hour or an hour) the bees will ascend into the hive; they will go up more quickly if occasionally stirred with the feather of a goose quill.
When the bees have ascended into the hive, take off the funnel, replace the bar, screw on the top board, take it to the place intended for it permanently to occupy, and which has been prepared for it. It will be as well to screen the hive from view for a few days until the bees become settled in their new domicile. Although this hive is constructed of double glass to keep up a more uniform degree of warmth, still from the cold nature of glass and the close contact into which the bees are brought with it, it is advisable to place flannel between the outer shutters and the glass of the hive on both sides; this is found essential in winter, and very much adds to the comfort of the bees if placed so every cold night during most of the year. In the day time in summer months with the hive being of double glass the whole may be fully exposed to view. If the temperature of the apartment in which the hive stands be kept at 60 degrees, this extra attention will not be so needful. Bees cease to appear disturbed when the exposure to light is continuous. As soon as the bees are settled, comb building will immediately commence, and in about two weeks' time there will be one comb spreading over the whole hive. The queen may be viewed depositing her eggs, and all the usual operations of the rearing of brood, storing of honey, and the building of combs, will be open to full inspection, with perfect ease to the spectator. As an object of lively and permanent interest for the breakfast parlour or conservatory, the "Unicomb Observatory Hive" may be regarded as infinitely superior to an Aquarium or Fernery.
At the Exposition Universelle of 1855 in Paris, we exhibited a hive of this description in full working order. The bees left London on the 5th of July of that year, and were placed in the Exposition on the following morning. An entrance was made for them through the side of the building, as before explained. Our bees had no national antipathies, and they immediately sallied forth to their "fresh fields and pastures new" in the Champs Elysées, the gardens of the Tuileries, the Luxembourg, &c., whence they soon returned laden with luscious store from French flowers.
The Jurors of the Exposition awarded us a Prize Medal for bee-hives.
WOODBURY UNICOMB HIVE.
The "Woodbury Unicomb Hive" has many advantages over hives of this kind as previously constructed. The engraving shows the interior compartment divided into six; these are six Woodbury frames. The inner sash opens to admit of hanging up the frames on the notches prepared for them. The width of the hive between the glasses of the sashes is just sufficient to admit of one thickness of comb with space on either side for the bees to pass and repass, the same as in Neighbour's Unicomb. There is, however, a great advantage in the use of this hive; with it, any one possessing a Woodbury box or straw bar and frame hive can readily commence a Unicomb, and as readily put the combs and bees back into the square hive again. The outside shutters on either side are composed of Venetian blinds admitting daylight, but obscuring the rays of the sun. We had the entrance made at one end, as represented in our drawing; this alteration was made after the pattern of the hive from which Mr. Woodbury allowed us to copy. His own was intended to stand wholly out of doors, and had two central entrances, one on either side at the bottom, the hive itself turning on a pivot.