Our illustration shows the four boxes set up when the hive is complete. We will suppose that the beginner has just received the four octagonal boxes detached, with the bundles of grooved slides. About one-half of these are short pieces, or pegs, termed sectional slides, but similarly cut to the longer ones; these are to fill up the openings where the full slides are not put in, or are required to be withdrawn, as hereafter explained. He will find himself in possession of four boxes so neatly dovetailed on the bevel, that, if he be of a mechanical turn, he will not only be surprised at the way in which they are put together, but also at the price for which they are offered. Three of the boxes, A, B, C, technically called "body boxes," are precisely similar, each being fourteen inches in diameter and five inches and a half deep inside. Nine bars range along the top of each box. These are not movable, but are designed to induce the regular building of the combs. Between these and beyond the outer ones are ten narrow slides, the slides and bars being grooved to fit into each other, so that the top is completely covered as if with a crown-board. In the figure the slides are shown as partly withdrawn. The fourth box, D, is the depriving box or super; it is only four inches deep, but the same in diameter as the others. This being the honey-box, it is furnished with seven wide fixed bars instead of nine, because, as stated at [page 183], bees construct deeper receptacles to contain the honey than for breeding in: thus, should the queen go up into this compartment, she may find the cells are too much elongated to enable her to reach the base when her body is inserted for the purpose of depositing an egg. The honey is thus kept pure, and the thick comb has a more massive, richer appearance, and that which not unfrequently mars the quality of a super—viz., cells that either contain brood or have been bred in—is prevented. Each box is furnished with two small windows, back and front, closed by sliding shutters, by which opportunity is afforded for inspecting the progress made, and also for ascertaining when the cells are filled and the box may be taken away.
Each of the boxes A, B, C, is furnished with an entrance-way four inches wide and half an inch high, a wooden slide either wholly or partially closing it as required. When at work the bees need only one entrance open, and that at the lowest box. The long slides before mentioned are pushed into their respective receptacles from the back of the hive to close the openings between the bars; those of them that are shorter will be seen to belong to the sides of the octagon, and their ends are cut angular to suit the form of the box. A little examination will suffice to show the right allotment of the slides, the appropriation of which may be said somewhat to resemble the putting together of a child's puzzle.
The box B must be left open at the interstices that correspond with the box A, placed above, the little openings being closed by the insertion of the ten sections of slides, thus leaving free communication inside with the upper box A, and admitting of no outlet for the bees except at the entrance. When the four boxes are placed above each other, the structure measures twenty-two inches high.
The Scotch carpenters send no floor-board, and no covering or roof for the top to shoot off the rain; they evidently expect that the purchaser is provided with a shed or bee-house of some kind, and also with a floor-board. Should the apiarian, however, not have these necessaries, we can supply the deficiency.
The sides of the boxes are furnished with wooden buttons, which, when turned round, keep each box exactly in its place one above the other; there are also projecting irons or screw heads for tying the two boxes A and B together preparatory to hiving the swarm, also for weighing; or if the boxes stand out exposed, all may be thus secured, to prevent their being blown over by high winds.
In putting the hive into use, take the two boxes A and B, made one by the junction before mentioned, with complete access from one to the other inside by the free communication afforded. Shake the swarm in just as with a common cottage hive.
If the weather be favourable these two boxes will be nearly filled in ten days. To get the full advantage of the Stewarton hive the first year, put two swarms into two body boxes, A and B. Allow the bees to remain there till they have nearly filled the body boxes with comb, which (with this increased number of workers, and in favourable weather) should be from five to ten days. Two swarms are seldom procurable the same day so as then to be joined together, and even if they were there is a doubt whether greater progress may not be attained by hiving one swarm a week or so earlier than the other, so as to build comb and raise brood ready for the reception of the new comers.
The second swarm should be hived in the third body box, C, and placed close to the boxes A, B, and at dusk these last are placed on the top of the box C. The entrance being open in the lowest box, that of the central box, B, should now be closed with the slide. The top slides of box C must be withdrawn and the interstices pegged with the sectional slides. In the course of the night the second swarm will ascend and join the other, thus becoming one family. In the morning one of the queens will probably be found thrown out in front.
The box C is then to be removed, and the entrance slide of box B withdrawn. Should all the bees not have ascended, the removal may be deferred until later in the day when many of them are dispersed gathering honey. The object of removing the box C is to restrict the room so that the work of comb-building may be carried on more rapidly, and the bees be sooner ready to work in the super box D, placed above. They may be allured into this by fixing small pieces of worker guide-comb, of pure white colour, on the centre of each side bar. If, however, a box of honey with neatly made, straight, and quite regular comb be desired, a piece of this guide-comb must be fixed to the centre of each bar of the seven. If guide-comb be unobtainable, strips of the impressed wax sheets or artificial comb (hereafter described) will be found excellent substitutes.[22]
[22] The body boxes may be prepared in a similar manner.