to a certain extent maintain an equable temperature for the bees,
both in summer and winter.

Any moisture condensed from the heated air generated by the bees, is
carried off through the perforated sheets of zinc above the frames, and
cool store-room for the honey is also thus secured.

A feeding trough is made on the principle of a bird-glass: with a tin
feeder and a small bottle for the liquid food to be put into.

[Illustration: _Fig. IV._]

The tin feeder is six inches by 7-1/2 long, and one inch deep, and just
fits on to the top of the bee-frames, where the perforated sheets of
zinc are laid; within this feeder a half inch opening is cut at the
bottom, fig 4, _a_, and an inclined plane _b_, reaching half way up
the depth of the trough; and a sheet of perforated tin, _c_ (placed
horizontally from point _b_,) through which the bees suck the food,
which is kept at the same level by atmospheric pressure; for as the food
is drawn down below the mouth of the bottle, _d_, air forces itself into
the bottle, and the same quantity of food trickles down into the feeder,
a piece of glass, _e_, exactly the same size as the feeder, is placed
over it, through which the bees may be seen whilst feeding, and the
feeding trough will be nearly of the same temperature as the interior
of the box or hive, and prevent the bees being chilled, as they would
be in winter, if compelled to descend for their food; and besides, the
bees are less likely to be attacked by wasps or strange bees when fed
from above, as the intruders would have to ascend through the mass of
bees in the box, which would be attended with danger to them.

The bees can be fed when necessary by one of the sheets of perforated
zinc being drawn on one side, and the feeding trough, with the bottle of
food in it, being placed over the opening; when the bees will ascend
through the half inch space at _a_, and feed themselves with the liquid,
or carry it away and store it up for future use.

HIVES AND BEE-BOXES.

Having given a description of the bar-frame-hive, it will be as well to
enter into the comparative advantages of using wooden boxes and straw
hives.

Some apiarians confine themselves to the use of straw hives, others to
wooden boxes, and a third party use both; but as far as the bees are
concerned it matters little what kind of hive is given them, for if the
season be favourable, and the bee-pasturage rich with flowers, they
collect and store up the h