The first combs built by a swarm are for brood,
and store-combs afterwards, as needed; one apartment will be nearly
filled with all brood-combs, and the other with store-combs and honey.
Now in the two kinds of cells there is a great difference; those for
breeding are near half an inch in length, while those for storing are
sometimes two inches or more; totally unfit for breeding; until the
bees cut them off to the proper length, which they will not do, unless
compelled for want of room, consequently this side of store-combs is
but little used for brood. When such hive is divided, the chances are
not more than one in four, that this apartment will have any young bees
of the proper age from which to raise a queen; if not, and the old
queen is in the part with the brood-comb, where she will be ninety-nine
times in a hundred, one half of the hive is lost for want of a queen.

Mr. A.--"Ah! I think I now understand how I lost one-half of nearly
every hive I divided. I also lost some of them in the winter; there was
plenty of bees as well as honey; can you tell the cause of this?"

I will guess that they starved.

Mr. A.--"Starved! why, I said there was plenty of honey."

I understood it, but nevertheless feel quite sure.

Mr. A.--"I would like to see that made plain; I can't understand how
they could starve when there was honey!"

CAUSE OF STARVING IN SUCH HIVES.

I said one apartment would be filled with brood-combs; this will be
occupied, at least partially, with brood as long as the yield of honey
lasts; consequently, there will be but little room for storing here,
but the other side may be full throughout. The bees will take up their
winter quarters among the brood-combs. Now suppose the honey in this
apartment is all exhausted during a severe turn of cold weather, what
can the bees do? If one should leave the mass and go among the frosty
combs for a supply, its fate would be as certain as starvation. Without
frequent intervals of warm weather to melt all frost on the combs, and
allow the bees to go into the other apartment for honey, they _must_
starve.

The cost of construction is another objection to this hive, as the
labor bestowed on one is more than would finish two, that would be much
better.

ADVANTAGES OF THE CHANGEABLE HIVE CONSIDERED.

The value of changeable hives is based upon the following
principle:--Each young bee when it first hatches from the egg, is
neither more nor less than a worm; wh