Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Bees.djvu/170

166 Transversas salices, et grandia conjice saxa: Pontibus ut crebris possint consistere, et alas Pandere ad æstivum solem; si forte morantes Sparserit, aut præceps Neptuno immerserit Eurus. Hæc circum casiæ virides, et olentia laté Serpylla et graviter spirantis copia thymbrae Floreat: irriguumque bibant violaria fontem. Georg. iv.

Hives are found of almost all shapes and sizes, and of various materials—circumstances influenced sometimes by convenience, but oftener by the taste and fancy of the owners. In France, particularly, where the culture of the Bee has been much attended to, the variety of hives is very great; but with few exceptions, they appear to be remarkably deficient in simplicity. This is an important point to be attended to, both as regards the accommodation of the bees, and the convenience of the Bee-master. As far as respects the mere collection and storing of the honey, the kind of hive is but of secondary importance. If the season be propitious, and the country rich in flowers, the industrious collectors will cheerfully deposit the fruit of their labours in any moderate-sized receptacle that appears to afford security and shelter. It is the interest of the owner, however, to ascertain what material and construction will answer best for sustaining an equable temperature during the heats of summer, and most effectually secure the comfort of the inmates during the severity of winter. And, besides these indispensable requisites, there are other considerations to be attended to in the structure of hives which, to the Naturalist and Amateur, are