Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/252

222] it should be previously remarked, that the honey is chiefly at the top of the hive, the young brood in the middle, and the greatest stock of wax is at the bottom. For this reason, when three of the four boxes are filled with comb, &c. the upper one A is to be first taken off, in the manner here described. The buttons b, b, &c. which serve to unite the boxes, are to be turned, or the wooden pegs (if such are used) taken out; the cement employed for closing the intervals is to be scraped off; and then a piece of iron wire is to be drawn through the comb, so as to divide it. When the box A, is separated, its cover is to be taken off and put upon the box B, now become the highest. After taking out the contents of the box A, it is to be cleaned, and again placed upon the stand or table, under the box D, taking care to open its little door, and to shut that of the box D. To prevent any bees remaining in the upper box, when taken away, a little smoke may be introduced by means of the bellows already described.

The more empty space the bees find in the hive, the more eagerly they go to work. The brood of the box B, which remained at top, do not long delay to swarm, or at least they pass from the state of chrysalis into that of the perfect and laborious animal; therefore, when it is perceived that the lower part of the hive is occupied, the box B, may be taken off, in the manner already described, and, after being emptied, may be placed under A.

In the same way, the third box C, in which there is generally a good stock of wax, may afterwards be taken off; but this is a matter of greater consequence, because in general the eggs are deposited in it. We must also take care not to deprive the bees entirely of the stock of wax and honey which they have collected for the winter.

A hive made in the manner here pointed out, appears to me to be such as would be most useful to husbandmen in general, who wish to cultivate bees; but a hive may be made, upon the same principles, which will shew the work of the bees, through its whole progress, and thereby enable any one to study the natural history of these wonderful insects.

A hive of this kind is composed of three, or four boxes, with a cover, like the hive already described; it may also be of the same form and size. But, in every box, on that side which is opposite the little door, there must be fixed a pane of glass, with a sliding shutter over it, so that by drawing back sliders, the inside of the hive will be exposed to view. To see the bees at work, however, it is necessary that the comb should be disposed in a regular manner, and perpendicular to the pane of glass. This may be obtained, by placing in the boxes, instead of the two cross-sticks already described, in p. 218, five parallel sticks or bars, as represented in the following figure:



The bees will attach their combs to these bars, and the intermediate space will afford sufficient light for seeing them work. If more light