It consists of a lower or stock-box A, eleven inches square, nine inches deep, with three large windows, a thermometer D, as in Nutt's, being fixed across the front one, protected at the sides by strips of glass, to prevent the bees obscuring the quicksilver from sight, B is a cover the same size as the lower hive, large enough to allow space for a bell-glass nine inches wide, six inches deep. E is the ventilator between the glass and the stock-hive, intended to prevent the queen travelling into the super hive, and also, by cooling the hive, to endeavour to prevent swarming; a sloping pagoda roof, with an acorn top, completes the upper story. A floor-board with a block front, as in Nutt's collateral, forms the base, the entrance being sunk, as before described, and furnished with zinc slides to reduce or close it as may be required. To stock a hive of this description, it is necessary to send the stock-box to the party with whom you have agreed for the supply of a swarm. In the evening of the day the hive is thus tenanted, remove it to the position it is designed permanently to occupy; if the swarm has to be procured from a distance, and is transported by rail or other conveyance, a perforated zinc slide should be substituted for the plain slide that covers the top, and a large piece or perforated zinc must also be tacked to the bottom after the swarm has settled in. Thus securely confined, with a free circulation of air throughout, bees that have been' swarmed the day before may be safely sent any distance that will allow of their being released the day after; because bees, though they provision themselves for a couple of days, cannot with safety be confined in an empty hive much longer.
Having now, we will suppose, procured your swarm, and placed it in a south or south-east aspect, you may, with advantage if the weather be wet, give a little liquid food: the feeding in this hive is performed at the top of the stock-box, where the glass is worked. Our round feeding pan, or the new feeding bottle, may here be used. Any fancy as to the position may be indulged in, but must be settled on by the time the bees are set at liberty, because any alteration afterwards is detrimental to the working of the hive. The bees, on first issuing forth, carefully mark their new abode and the surrounding objects, so that, if a change be made, they are completely thrown out in their observations, which confuses them not a little, and occasions loss. Bees always return to the same spot; it is the locality that they know, and if the hive is moved a less distance than a mile, thousands return to the spot on which the hive has been accustomed to stand.
Allow your bees to collect honey and build their combs for ten days or a fortnight. Much now depends on the weather; if fine, by this time they will require additional room, which will be indicated by the thermometer D rapidly rising; 100 degrees is the swarming point. The hive must be kept below this by ventilation.
Access must now be given to the flat bell-glass at the top, which is done by withdrawing the top slide. In a few hours, sometimes immediately, the work of comb-building begins in the glass—all the sooner, if a piece of clean empty comb be placed therein.
It is of service to keep the glass warm by means of a worsted or baize bag; it prevents the temperature from falling at night, when much comb-building is carried on, providing the heat is not allowed to escape. Probably, if all goes on well, in three weeks the glass will be found filled with fine white honey-comb. When you find that the comb is well sealed up, it is time to take it off; but if the cells are unfilled and unsealed, let the labourers complete their work—a little experience will soon enable the bee-keeper to determine this point.
The plan to be adopted for taking glasses of honey, comb is the same as described for Nutt's hive.
TAYLOR'S AMATEUR SHALLOW BOX OR EIGHT-BAR HIVE.
Taylor's Amateur Hive, as seen by reference to the engraving, consists of three boxes—the lower one, A, is the stock-box, in which the swarm is first placed; B is the first super; and C, the centre box: all three boxes are of the same diameter, viz., thirteen and a half inches square inside, A, the stock-box, is seven and a half inches deep; B, six and a half inches: both are fitted with eight moveable bars, each bar being one inch and an eighth wide, with spaces of half an inch between, and all easily removed by unscrewing the crown-board, in which are two openings closed by zinc slides. The middle box, C, has no bars, and is still shallower than either of the other boxes, being five inches deep. In many localities and seasons, the third box may not be required. Each box has two windows, one at the back and another at the side, a zinc shutter, sliding in a groove, excluding light and retaining warmth. The box C differs from the others in another respect; instead of bars, it has a grating made by seven openings, each half an inch wide and nine inches long: these three boxes stand on a stout floor-board, in which is cut the entrance way, four inches wide and three-eighths of an inch high. The floor-board projects so as to support an outer cover of half-inch wood, surmounted by a sloping roof. This is an effectual protection from the weather, and is necessary when hives are exposed; of course, if placed in a bee-house, such protection may be dispensed with. The outer case is well painted, of a green colour, and when it is used the hive may be placed in any part of the garden. The dimensions of this hive, with outside cover, are eighteen inches square, and two feet six inches high.
Suitable stands are provided, consisting of a stout pedestal with four feet. Stakes should be driven into the ground to secure the whole against wind. Height from the ground, four feet three inches.