Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Bees.djvu/181

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THE HONEY-BEE.
177

actly correspond with the centre of the bar; when the wax hardens, which it does in a few seconds, the comb is firmly fixed. To save trouble, every second bar only need be furnished with this guide.[1]

The storied hive appears to us simple and convenient; and it has this very decided advantage, that the use of it, as will be illustrated when treating of the honey-harvest, renders perfectly and completely practicable the preservation of the life of the bees, and that, too, without any difficulty or nicety of operation that might scare the timid cultivator from the humane attempt. The storied hive affords, also, great facilities for uniting, at the end of the season, two weakly swarms, or two weakly provided hives. By means of smoke blown in at the door below of the two hives to be united, the bees are forced into the upper boxes, which are then separated and placed one above the other, thus forming a stock strong both in population and provisions, and securing, in all probability, early swarming in the following season. Terrified by the smoke, the bees readily unite without bloodshed.

Huber's Hive.—The hive invented by the celebrated Huber, and which he has called the book or leaf-hive, possesses, in our estimation, more valuable properties, taken as a whole, than any other we are acquainted with. It has all the advantages of a com-

  1. Since the above was written, Dr. Bevan has published a Second Edition of his excellent work, where, in pages 82 and 98, he gives detailed descriptions of the size and arrangements of his Bee-Boxes.