There is an admirable hive contrived by Mr. Robert Fenn, of Woodstock,
described in the _Journal of Horticulture_, and which has proved one
of the best of what may be called "cottage hives." It consists of
a straw hive, _fig. 13_, 3, 16 inches in diameter, 11 inches deep,
straight-sided, quite flat on the top, the permanent mahogany adapting
board having a central hole about 3 inches in diameter, over which is
placed a thinnish round of plaited straw, slightly secured with wall
nails, though sufficiently so to prevent the egress of the Bees. Two
pieces of hard-wood sticks run completely and centrally through at
right angles to support the comb. The central hole of the adapter,
_fig. 9_, is fitted with a moveable round piece of thin deal that fits
exactly to the size of the hole, and this is supported by four pins
that are let into the sides of the hole, and project about one-eighth
of an inch, so as to allow the flap to rest upon them. The edges of
the rounded flap are cutaway as represented _fig. 9_, so as to leave
openings between the flap and the adapter of not more than one-quarter
of an inch, which will admit the worker Bees to ascend upwards, but
not the queen or the drones. Two other openings may be cut not quite
one-quarter of an inch broad, and three-quarters of an inch from the
sides. Two rows of holes may be bored, or a slit too narrow to allow
a Bee to pass, may be formed along the centre of the flap to act as
an air-passage. A strip of paper pasted to the flap and the adapter
will form a sort of house. Paste another piece of adhesive on at the
opposite end of the flap only. When the permanent adapting board is
placed--for it is never removed during the honey-gathering season--upon
the hive, take off the small round piece of plaited straw from the
top central hole, and quickly place a glass tumbler inverted over the
hole, which effectually prevents a Bee from escaping to place itself
in jeopardy or to annoy the operator. Then if the top of the hive is
at all sunken, which is frequently the case, have small deal fillets
(_fig. 8_), a trifle wider in diameter than the central hole of the
adapter, and of various depths, to slip over the tumbler, and a wind of
cotton wadding also to lay nearly around the outside circumference on
the top of the hive.
[Illustration: Fig. 8.]
Then place on the permanent adapting board (_fig. 9_), when the tumbler
will obtrude itself up through the flaphole, and no insect will ever
be able to pass the cotton wadding one way, nor, by reason of the
fillet, will the Bees be able to go between the hive and the adapter
on the other. Now moisten the end of the adhesive paper, quickly take
away the tumbler, down with the flap, press the adhesive paper on to
the board, and place the super-board (_fig, 10_), which must have a
flap in its centre to exactly correspond with the one below. Two guide
pencil-marks on each board, previously marked, will point out their
proper positions; and by reason of these duplicate openings in the
flaps it will be seen by illustration to admit of two glasses (fig.
10 _a a_), being worked in lieu of one, which is another great point
gained in a good and early honey season. Now slip a carpet-bag over the
glasses to keep them warm, and the super-over-hive over that; and then
cover the whole with a brown glazed milk-pan.
[Illustration: Fig. 9.]
[Illustration: Fig. 10.]
[Illustration: Fig. 11.]
_Fig. 11_ is a second small super-board to correspond with the above,
excepting that the central hole remains without a flap; for, unless
double supers are worked throughout the season, a third flap is
unnecessary, and the super 3 inches high or so, and of any diameter one
likes coming within the measurement of the board, is of wood, glass,
or straw. These are mostly fig-drums cut in halves, or at least to the
required depth, having a piece of glass let nearest the board, so as to
admit of one's seeing when the Bees have nearly completed their combs,
and are ready for another. When the time arrives, when it will be seen
by examination that the Bees have nearly completed their honey-combs
in the glasses, and are in want of more room; all that one has to do
to accommodate them is merely to lift up board and glasses, _fig. 10_,
slip a board and super and fillet on top in its place, _fig. 11_, and
set _fig. 10_ on the top of it, which will then represent _fig. 13_.
The narrow fillet will prevent the board from coming flush down on the
top of the newly-inserted super, which has a hole of only about 1-1/2
inch in diameter in its top; a second small super-board would answer
this same purpose--viz., leave a vacuum there for the Bees to ascend to
complete the sealing-over of their combs in the glasses, which they
will presently do, and till when, of course, the pieces of carpeting
and super-over-hive is reinstated.
Payne's straw supers are generally used for the third removes. They
cost there about 1_s._ each of Mr. Major in the Traverse, Bury St.
Edmunds, Suffolk.
[Illustration: Fig. 12.]
[Illustration: Fig. 13.]
_Fig. 12_ is the super-over-hive, a foot deep, and about 14 inches
inside diameter. Holes are worked in their tops, about 3 inches in
diameter, the same as for the Bee hives, to allow the foul air to
circulate up and away, or the top may be omitted altogether as is
represented in engraving.