When the hive was being examined on one side, the entrance was closed by a piece of wood inserted in it, and when the other side was brought round to be inspected, the piece of wood withdrawn and placed in the opposite entrance. This was a most ingenious contrivance; but it did not answer our purpose for indoors. When Mr. Woodbury sent us his hive, we were preparing for the International Exhibition of 1862, and in placing it against the sides of the building, we followed our old plan for ingress by having the entrance at the end. Since that time we have made a considerable improvement by adapting Mr. Woodbury's cleverly contrived turn-table to suit our own hive. Like Mr. Woodbury's hive, ours has two iron wheels, the one fixed to the bottom of the hive, the other fixed to a stout board running the full length of the hive; on these two wheels the whole hive turns. In the centre there is an opening into the hive, with a passage-way running underneath, so that the bees' entrance is in no way affected by the position of the hive, which revolves to suit the convenience of visitors inspecting it. Should the queen with her attendants not be visible on one side, the other side of the comb can be brought into full view, and examined with the same facility as a picture, or as articles are inspected in a shop window. Thus, in the Unicomb Observatory Hive, the sovereign mother, her train of servitors, the drones with their aimless movements, and the crowd of ever busy workers—either building their combs or storing honey—may be always seen as presenting a veritable "Tableau vivant."
Another improvement that we have made upon Mr. Woodbury's pattern is that of accommodating the frames; his was constructed before frame hives were in use, consequently it is only suitable for combs on bars. Our adaptation has necessitated an increase in size. The dimensions are nearly 3 feet square and 7 inches deep from back to front. Provision is made at top for feeding and for working two small flat top glasses for deprivation, which are protected by the weather board.
An alighting board is placed at the centre, close under the entrance, when the hive is located out of doors. When the hive is placed indoors, a passage-way about 18 inches long, covered with glass, is fixed to the entrance, the other end communicating with an opening in the wall or sash; through this the bees find access, an alighting board being fixed outside the building. It is requisite that the passage-way be about this length, in order to allow of the hive turning round clear of the side of the building.
In the summer of 1863 we had ample proof of the success of this hive during its exhibition at the annual show of the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society at Exeter. We selected six combs, and packed them in one of the square box "Woodbury bar and frame" hives, and on arrival at Exeter, Mr. Woodbury assisted us in taking out the frames and placing them in the Unicomb. That being fixed against the boarded side of a shed, we found the covered way a great convenience, and it answered remarkably well; the bees did not seem to be inconvenienced by having to travel through so long a passage. A glass covering admitted a full view of the little labourers as they crowded in, and the sight of them very much enhanced the interest of visitors examining the hive.[4]
[4] It may require explanation how it was that we took bees to Exeter, which sounds something like "carrying coals to Newcastle." The reason was this—the garden of our friend, Mr. Woodbury, at Mount Radford, from which we could have been supplied, was so near to the show yard that he was apprehensive a large number of the bees would return to their old hives. Our bees from a distance would, according to their nature, return to their own hive, for bees although they may be moved miles away, take care to mark their new position, and are careful to return to it. Mr. Woodbury lent us a small stock of his Ligurian bees, and between it and our own hive the crowd of visitors divided their attention.
Since the time before mentioned, we have exhibited bees at the meetings of the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society at Bristol, and of the Royal Agricultural Society at Newcastle in 1864. On both occasions further proof was given that this hive admirably answers the purpose intended, and it afforded pleasure and interest to many thousands of visitors.
Mode of Stocking.—The Unicomb hive may be stocked in two ways, which have been previously referred to. The bee-keeper may either select the comb upon which the queen is found and put it into the hive, and so form an artificial swarm; or he may take six brood-combs from a hive, and so stock the "Unicomb" at once, which we did for the show at Exeter.
The former plan is, perhaps, the most advisable, because new comb has to be built within the five frames; for, be it remembered, in this case five empty frames must be put in. It is a better plan still if artificial combs are placed in each frame so as to afford an interesting opportunity of watching the formation of the cells therein. The combs are sure to be dark in colour when taken from a stock hive; and new combs being whiter have a better appearance in the hive. The comb upon which the queen was introduced may be taken away after the artificial swarm has made combs within some of the other five frames; when the queen is on one of the new combs, opportunity may easily be taken for opening the hive and removing the old dark comb. The bees can easily be shaken or brushed off the comb, and will return to the hive. The comb with the unhatched brood may be deposited in any square hive that needs strengthening. We mention this to show how to obtain a hive with entirely fine white comb.
If the possessor of a square Woodbury frame-hive wishes to start a strong Unicomb hive, and does not object to appropriate the stock, he must take out of the Woodbury hive any six combs on the frames, and put the Unicomb in its place so as to receive all the returning bees that happen to be abroad; the remaining four combs, supposing there are ten, may be inserted in any other frame hives in the garden in which are vacancies for them.
We have had this hive in operation, in the manner last described, during the summer of 1863, and found it to answer remarkably well. On a lawn, placed on a suitable ornamental stand, it formed a pleasing object, besides affording great interest and instruction.