These covers are painted green—a colour that is generally preferred.
§ III. WOOD COVERS.
A loose outer case completely enveloping the hive is found very useful. Such covers are made in various forms, some to drop over the hive in detached portions, some in a single piece, and others hinged; some, as we saw in the last chapter (§§ [xii.], [xiii.], [xiv.]), constitute a part of the hive itself. Ample room must be allowed for opening these, both at the side and behind, remembering that from the latter position all operations must be conducted. The cover and stand will require painting, or else staining and varnishing, which looks perhaps better; the hive itself, if not exposed to the weather, will not need this. When removing or replacing the covers, care must be taken not to enrage the bees. Covers formed with opening shutters will obviate the necessity of frequent removal.
The accompanying figure shows a simple form of cover for dropping over a hive. Its width is twenty-six inches, depth twenty-two, and height in middle nineteen.
Cottagers often use straight stiff thatching straw, sewed together; this contrivance is termed a "hackle," and has a pretty appearance, particularly if a number of hives are in a row. Care has however to be exercised that mice do not make the cover a resting-place. Mortar is often used for fastening round the hive at the bottom, but this is a bad plan, as it forms a harbour for insects; the wooden hoop fits so close as to leave little necessity for anything of the kind. The wooden cover just described is more especially constructed for our frame hive ([page 142]), but it may be used for any hive that it will fit over.
Our next cut represents the Woodbury cover, which is formed in three portions (the roof, the super-cover, and the stock-hive cover). It has an upper and a lower door, or rather shutter, behind. The whole can be placed on a pedestal as here shown. As this cover requires to be lifted off in pieces, and is liable to be blown over by the wind, it is not so convenient as those figured below, which open on hinges and are self-supporting.
We next give two representations of one of our more elaborate covers, showing it respectively from behind as opened and in front as closed. The former exhibits the cover with one of our new frame hives ([Chap. III. § x.]) within it, and two divisional supers upon the hive, the roof being formed sufficiently high to accommodate these. The cover is thus made to open near its vertical centre, and is held back by a chain. The flap behind falls down on opening the top to allow of inspecting the stock hive without drawing it out of the cover. In the front there is a portico for protection to the entrance, and wood slides work in grooves to narrow the opening in winter or other bad weather. The total height of the cover and stand is forty-five inches, the width twenty-two, and the depth twenty-six. The outside of the whole is grained and varnished. In the figure following it will be observed that the hinges are placed in the front; while underneath these the portico, slides, and alighting-board are clearly shown, as well as the sloping roof—in short, the general appearance of the whole structure as it actually stands in the apiary.
