Humanity to Honey-Bees: or, Practical Directions for the Management of Honey-Bees Upon an Improved and Humane Plan, by Which the Lives of Bees May Be Preserved, and Abundance of Honey of a Superior Quality May Be ObtainedNutt, Thomas
Science
Humanity to Honey-Bees: or, Practical Directions for the Management of Honey-Bees Upon an Improved and Humane Plan, by Which the Lives of Bees May Be Preserved, and Abundance of Honey of a Superior Quality May Be Obtained
Figure 2 shows the upper glass-frame of this hive with two small circular
openings through the top of each arm, over which openings are placed
small glasses, (at e. e.) in both Figures, for receptacles for honey, and
are intended to answer the same purpose as those do which are placed upon
the inverted-hive. A line drawn from one extremity of any one of these
arms or wings, to the extremity of the arm or wing directly opposite to
it, is twenty-three inches; and the distance between the dotted lines,
which are intended to mark the glass-way, or, in joiners' phrase, the
_rebate_ to receive the edges of the glass, is exactly one inch and
three-fourths. The lower glass-frame, which (in Fig. 1) is placed upon f.
the shaft of the pedestal already described, is the exact counterpart of
the upper frame, with the exception of its not having any perforations
for honey-glasses: the only perforation in this frame is that at its
centre; which must be made to correspond with that of the shaft, and be
a continuation of the Bee-passage into the hive. These two frames are
connected and made one by four upright pieces, or ends, (marked a. b. c.
d. in Fig. 1,) these upright, end-pieces must be rebated, or channeled,
to receive the ends of the glass-plates. Eight squares of glass, each
ten inches and a half by ten inches, fastened with putty into this
frame-work,--that is, two squares into each wing, will complete the
glass-hive; which, when placed upon the top of the pedestal, and made
steady by an axis fixed at the central point of the upper frame, and
turning in a socket under the ball, constitutes _an observatory-hive_.
Confined as is the space between the glass-plates in each wing, they
being but an inch and three-fourths apart, there is, nevertheless, room
enough for the construction of one comb; and space for more than one comb
would spoil it as an observatory-hive: and, though each wing may appear
to be but small, there are upwards of 760 cubic inches of clear space
in the hive. It is so constructed that plenty of light and the utmost
transparency are afforded for observing and minutely examining the Bees
and the works of the Bees in all their stages. Indeed the grand object
of this contrivance is--to expose to view the labours of the Bees in the
inside of their hive; and as the machine may be moved round at pleasure,
not a Bee can enter it, without being observed, nor can a single cell be
constructed in secret. I will only add--that the appearance of the Bees
in this hive is beautiful, and excites admiration and surprise,--nay,
is capable of enlivening the drooping spirits of the most desponding
apiarian; for who can view the Queen of the hive constantly laying her
eggs, and, by so doing, constantly propagating her species, and her
thousands of loyal subjects, whose indefatigable labour in all its
parts is so conspicuous, without experiencing sensations of the purest
pleasure,--nay, more of gratitude to God for his goodness to man!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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