her belonging to a barrel
full. A small family able to get through the winter and spring, may be
expected by another year to be as numerous as any.

KIND OF WOOD, WIDTH OF BOARD, ETC.

Of the kinds of wood for hives, pine is preferable, still other kinds
will do; I have no faith in bees liking one kind better than another,
and less likely to leave on that account. Hemlock is cheaper, and used
to a great extent; when _perfectly sound_ is as good as anything, but
is very liable to split, even after the bees have been in them some
time. It should be used only when better wood cannot be obtained. Bass
wood when used for hives should _always be painted_, and then will be
very liable to warp from the moisture arising from the bees inside.
When not painted outside, and allowed to get wet, if only for a few
hours, so much moisture is absorbed that it will bend outward, and
cleave from the combs and crack them. A few days of dry weather will
relieve the outside of water, and the inside kept moist by the bees,
the bending will be reversed, and the combs pressed inward, keeping the
bees fixing that which will not "stay fixed." Perhaps there is wood as
suitable or better than pine, but it is not as common.

SHAPE OF NO CONSEQUENCE.

Boards should be selected, if possible, that will be the proper width
to make the hive about square, of the right size. Say twelve inches
square, inside, by fourteen deep. I prefer this shape to any other, yet
it is not all important. I have had some ten inches square by twenty in
length; they were awkward looking, but that was all, I could discover
no difference in their prosperity. Also, I have had them twelve inches
deep by thirteen square, with the same result. Hence, if we avoid
extremes, and give the required room, the shape can make but little
difference.

It has been recommended to plane the boards for hives, "inside and
out;" but bees, when first put into such hive, find much difficulty in
holding fast until they get their combs started, hence this trouble is
worse than useless.

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING HIVES.

If hives are not desired of the cheapest possible construction, the
outside may be planed and painted; but it is doubtful whether strict
economy would demand it. Yet a painted hive appears so much better,
that it ought to be done, especially as the paint adds almost enough to
its durability to pay the expense. The color may be whatever fancy
dictates; the moth will not proba