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 eighteen 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 the hive to turn 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.[11] 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.

[11] 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.

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 9, 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, can be inserted in any other frame-hives in the garden in which there may be vacancies.

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.

In unicomb hives stocked with a natural swarm (as is generally the plan), there is considerable difficulty in keeping the bees alive through the winter. In a hive where the combs are removable, no loss of bees need be occasioned. We do not recommend the hive we are now describing as a winter residence for bees. For four months in the year, when bees are most active, and when their operations are most interesting, this hive may be brought into use, either of the two plans before described being adopted. An artificial swarm should be put in during May or June, and taken out, in the method before mentioned, and then placed in the square box during the month of September; sometimes it may do for a stock to be put in a month or so earlier, but it should never be retained later in this hive. In October, we often have cold nights; the bees and brood being in such close contact with the glass, and not able to cluster as is their natural wont, suffer from exposure to the variations of temperature. In some degree to moderate this, we have used treble glass with a space between each square; greater warmth is thus obtained, and the view is not intercepted. Opportunity should be taken for cleaning the unicomb hive when empty, so as to be ready for re-stocking as a new hive in the following summer. The unicomb observatory hive is one which might have been suggested by the lines of Evans:—

"By this blest art our ravished eyes behold