IMPROVED BEE HIVE.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1864, 13 February 1880, Page 2

IMPROVED BEE HIVE.

Mr Broadley, engineer at the Kaiapoi Woollen Factory, has completed a Canadian bee hive on improved principles, for the Acclimatisation Society. It is is a double-boarded hive, and is intended to winter a stock out of doors. The dimensions are —18in. across, 16in. deep, and 15Jin. broad. It contains inside twelve frames, 12in. wide, slanting on the bottom from lOin. at one side to Sin. on the other, allowing air spaces of fin. all round the frames. The hive being double-boarded, a hollow wall is formed all round it, which renders it warmer in winter and cooler in summer, and this plan removes the danger of combs melting down. Above the hive is a moveable cover, which allows a super Sin. high and 13in. square to bo placed on it. The hive referred to has an observing door and robber stop. The bottom can be lowered in an ingenious manner to receive the swarm. The comb frames are made after Mr Broadley's own pattern, for which it is claimed that the bees find it impossible to build cracked or fix the frames with wax, so that there is any difficulty in removal. A warm air chamber allows the bees to make their way easily over the top of the frames, and as the bees are not detached the honey box is kept at a nearly equal temperature with the rest of the hive. On a honey board over the chamber the bees can be fed, which Mr Broadley accomplishes by inserting a tube for them to come up, and places troughs on the board with liquid food, which the bees have to sip through small holes in wooden floats. Judging by the hives of a like kind in use near the factory, it seems impossible to beat it for the production of a large yield of honey. From one swarm this season there have been seven new ones, and at least 1401bs. of honey taken. This gentleman has also perfected a centrifugal honey extractor, which, however, he intends to set aside in favour of that advocated by Dr. Irving. The new hive is expected to be shortly open for inspection in the Acclimatisation Society’s grounds, and others may be seen at Mr Broadley's garden, Kaiapoi.