OBSERVATORY-HIVE.
Having now given such a description and explanation of my
_collateral box-hives_, and of my _inverted-hive_, as will, by referring
to the plates or cuts that accompany them, make both of those hives,
and every thing pertaining to them, to be clearly understood; I proceed
to explain, in the next place, my OBSERVATORY-HIVE. With the help of
the subjoined representative figures or cuts, I hope to succeed in my
endeavour to make the reader thoroughly acquainted with every part
of it, novel, though it be, and, as far as I know, unlike any hive
hitherto invented. At first sight it may probably appear to be a piece
of complicate machinery, but upon examination it will be found to be
otherwise--I may say--simple and easy. A little curiosity and a little
patient attention are all the requisites that I entreat my apiarian
friends to bring with them to the studying of this _grand hive_. I
call it _grand_, not because it is my own invention, but because it
is admirably adapted for advancing, and perhaps for perfecting, our
knowledge of the habits and economy of Honey-Bees.
With the variation of one short word, the following passage from Evans'
delightful poem on Bees is so applicable to my observatory-hive that I am
tempted to adopt it as a motto.
By this bless'd hive our ravish'd eyes behold
The singing masons build their roofs of gold;
And mingling multitudes perplex the view,
Yet all in order apt their tasks pursue;
Still happier they, whose favour'd ken hath seen
Pace slow and silent round, the state's fair Queen.
[Illustration]
The observatory-hive, as here exhibited in Fig. 1, consists of two
apartments--an upper one and a lower one. The upper one, (marked a.
b. c. d. e. e.) is properly the observatory-hive, and may be called
the summer-pavilion; the lower one, (marked g.) may be termed the
winter-pavilion. Of this winter-pavilion but little need be said, except
that it is an octagonal box, in size, in substance, and in every respect,
similar to the octagon-part of the _inverted-hive_ described in the
last chapter; save only that its top must not be cut away, as is there
directed to be done. At present let us suppose this top to be a perfect
plane--an entire surface, without any aperture of any sort to form a
passage for the Bees from and through it down into the pavilion below;
farther let us suppose an alighting-board of the usual size to be fixed
in front, and on a level with this floor or top; then the quære will
be--how, from the same front-entrance, the Bees are to have a passage
both into the observatory-hive above, and into the winter-pavilion below?
The difficulty is--to get a convenient passage into the summer-pavilion,
because the whole of that pavilion is made to turn round on the shoulder
of an upright shaft, through which shaft the passage for the Bees must
of necessity be made, and which does not admit of a bore of above an
inch in diameter. As, however, this narrow, perpendicular passage is of
no great length, (it need not be more than three inches) many thousands
of Bees will, in the course of a few minutes, if necessary, make their
egress and regress through it without incommoding one another. That this
rather intricate part--the construction of this passage-work--may be
fully comprehended, I will endeavour to illustrate it by references to a
well-known article, now standing on the table, on which I am writing. It
is a telescopic candlestick, the pedestal of which covers a square space
upon my table, each side of which superficial square is three inches.
Now suppose this candlestick was screwed or glued to the centre of the
plain, tabular top of the octagon (g.) having one of its sides parallel
to that side of the floor to which the alighting-board is attached. Next,
suppose _that_ side of the candlestick to be cut away so as to form an
entrance into the interior of the pedestal, two inches in front and half
an inch in height; and let there be a covered-way of this height, from
the opened side of the pedestal to the front-entrance of the hive: then,
if the front-entrance be six inches wide, the Bees on coming in will
enter this covered-way, which from six inches narrows to three at the
part where they enter the pedestal, and begin to ascend the perpendicular
passage which leads through it and through the upright shaft of the
candlestick into the--at present--_supposed_ apartment above. The
top-part of a telescopic candlestick may be turned round at pleasure;
consequently, if the pedestal be fixed and made immoveable, the top, and
whatever may be upon that top and fastened to it, may be moved round
notwithstanding: this is what we particularly want in the construction
of an observatory-hive, and must, therefore, be particularly attended
to. A piece of clean, close-grained wood--beech, elder, mahogany, or any
other firm wood--made much in the shape of our telescopic candlestick,
but of not more than two inches and a half in height, with a bore through
it of an inch in diameter, and turned, that is, wrought in a lathe, so
that an inch of the top-part may enter into, and neatly fit, the cap
fixed round the inch bore at the centre of the bottom-frame of the upper
pavilion (Fig 2), and which cap is represented by the moveable top of the
candlestick, is, as well as I can describe it, the pedestal to support
the observatory-hive,--is, with the cap just mentioned, the compound,
or double-hinge upon which that hive is turned round,--and is also the
Bee-way into that hive.
The way into the winter-pavilion, or octagon (g.) is made by cutting
a circular hole through the very centre of the plane top, an inch in
diameter, directly under the upward passage; so that the Bees, whether
their way be into the summer-pavilion above, or into the winter-pavilion
below, lies through the pedestal, and the only difference is, that one
passage leads upwards and the other downwards. The covered-way which
has been so often mentioned, may easily be made by taking out of the
under-side of the bottom-board of the paneled and roofed box, made to
secure the observatory-hive, and which is placed upon the top of the
winter-pavilion, just as much as will allow a sufficient space for that
way.
Having completed the passages, my next business is--to describe the novel
apartment into which the passage through the pedestal leads--that is, the
real observatory-hive.
Figure 2 shows the upper glass-frame of this hive with two small circular
openings through the top of each arm, over which openings are placed
small glasses, (at e. e.) in both Figures, for receptacles for honey, and
are intended to answer the same purpose as those do which are placed upon
the inverted-hive. A line drawn from one extremity of any one of these
arms or wings, to the extremity of the arm or wing directly opposite to
it, is twenty-three inches; and the distance between the dotted lines,
which are intended to mark the glass-way, or, in joiners' phrase, the
_rebate_ to receive the edges of the glass, is exactly one inch and
three-fourths. The lower glass-frame, which (in Fig. 1) is placed upon f.
the shaft of the pedestal already described, is the exact counterpart of
the upper frame, with the exception of its not having any perforations
for honey-glasses: the only perforation in this frame is that at its
centre; which must be made to correspond with that of the shaft, and be
a continuation of the Bee-passage into the hive. These two frames are
connected and made one by four upright pieces, or ends, (marked a. b. c.
d. in Fig. 1,) these upright, end-pieces must be rebated, or channeled,
to receive the ends of the glass-plates. Eight squares of glass, each
ten inches and a half by ten inches, fastened with putty into this
frame-work,--that is, two squares into each wing, will complete the
glass-hive; which, when placed upon the top of the pedestal, and made
steady by an axis fixed at the central point of the upper frame, and
turning in a socket under the ball, constitutes _an observatory-hive_.
Confined as is the space between the glass-plates in each wing, they
being but an inch and three-fourths apart, there is, nevertheless, room
enough for the construction of one comb; and space for more than one comb
would spoil it as an observatory-hive: and, though each wing may appear
to be but small, there are upwards of 760 cubic inches of clear space
in the hive. It is so constructed that plenty of light and the utmost
transparency are afforded for observing and minutely examining the Bees
and the works of the Bees in all their stages. Indeed the grand object
of this contrivance is--to expose to view the labours of the Bees in the
inside of their hive; and as the machine may be moved round at pleasure,
not a Bee can enter it, without being observed, nor can a single cell be
constructed in secret. I will only add--that the appearance of the Bees
in this hive is beautiful, and excites admiration and surprise,--nay,
is capable of enlivening the drooping spirits of the most desponding
apiarian; for who can view the Queen of the hive constantly laying her
eggs, and, by so doing, constantly propagating her species, and her
thousands of loyal subjects, whose indefatigable labour in all its
parts is so conspicuous, without experiencing sensations of the purest
pleasure,--nay, more of gratitude to God for his goodness to man!
It has been suggested to me by some ingenious friends--that a couple of
magnifying glasses set in the doors, and some mechanical contrivance to
open a part of the roof by simply pulling a cord, and to throw a proper
light upon the four wings of the hive, would be a great improvement;
because, by these means, or by some such means as these, the opening and
shutting of the doors would be rendered unnecessary,--and, because the
Bees and their curious works would be more interesting by being viewed
through magnifying glasses,--and because the exterior appearance of the
whole concern would be more handsome. Without the slightest hesitation
I admit--that, to those persons to whom expense is no object, the
mode of examining the observatory-hive would be improved by some such
arrangements as those just mentioned; but _the hive itself would not be
improved in the least_,--it would remain just as it was before these
costly additions, whether ornamental, or useful, or both, were made to
its covering only--_not to the hive_.
The following cut will, in some degree, represent and tacitly explain an
observatory-hive, fitted up in this way.
[Illustration]
THE MODE OF STOCKING AN OBSERVATORY-HIVE.
This operation may be performed in various ways, and almost at any time
during the summer months, by an experienced apiarian. I will content
myself with describing _how_ it may be done most easily, if not most
scientifically, by any person possessed of courage enough to operate at
all among Bees. It is as follows:
When your Bees swarm from a cottage-hive, take it (the swarm) into a
common hive in the usual way 7 place it in a cool, shaded situation, and
let it remain there until the evening; and even then attempt no further
operation, unless the Bees be all settled and quite still. When they are
all within their hive, peaceable, and retired, as it were, for the night,
you may suddenly strike them from their hive upon a clean, white sheet,
spread over a table prepared and ready for the purpose, and within the
space occupied, or rather--enclosed, by four bricks placed edgewise. Upon
these bricks place your glass-hive as expeditiously as possible with its
entrance just over the Bees. Then envelope your hive with a cloth so as
to darken its interior, and, lastly, throw the corners of the sheet over
the whole. This done, the Bees will presently ascend into the wings of
the hive. When they are all safely lodged in it, you may carefully remove
the sheet and the other coverings; and, having securely made up the
entrance into the winter-pavilion, then place the stocked hive upon its
pedestal, and the Bees will be ready to commence their labour the next
day.
At the latter end of August invert the parent-hive from which the swarm
issued, and place it in the octagon-box (g.) below the summer-pavilion.
Take out the plug that is between the two hives, that is--open the
passage into the winter-hive, and you will have accomplished the union
of the two families: they will join or unite, and thenceforward continue
to labour as one family. By this movement you give to your Bees a
winter-residence, secure from all enemies, which are numerous at this
season. And so well-stocked will the winter-hive be, that an early swarm
from it, for the observatory-hive, the following season may reasonably be
expected.
The honey may be taken from the e. e. glasses, placed upon the arms of
the summer-pavilion so easily, by turning round the loose boards under
the glasses, that further explanation is unnecessary. The machine itself
will point out to the perfect stranger the proper method of doing it.