160 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to consider a cross between the two varieties as more profitable than either, 

 unless a person has the time to develop a superior strain by careful breeding. 



HIVES. 



A movable frame hive is a necessity. The movable frame was patented by 

 the Eev. L. L. Longstroth. The patent having expired, any one can use it 

 without expense. This, I believe, is the only patented feature of a bee-hive of 

 any value to the bee-keeper. A simple box with frames hanging inside is, 

 without doubt, the best known receptacle for a colony of bees. A patent hive 

 may safely be known to be a poor hive, and the more patented features it has 

 the poorer hive it is. A patent hive is worth but little for any thing except to 

 set hens in. If you find any drawers, hinges, doors, windows, slides, or moth- 

 traps in a bee-hive, be assured it is only good for kindling wood. The shape 

 of the plain box for receiving the frames would be determined somewhat by 

 the plan of management determined upon. If it is intended to produce 

 extracted honey, perhaps a frame about one foot square would be as good as 

 any, but if comb honey is preferred, a shallow frame, say about nine inches 

 deep and sixteen inches long, would be better ; and as the shallow frame 

 answers very well for extracting, I advise its general use. In practice we find 

 so much inconvenience attending the use of different sized frames that we are 

 fully pursuaded that only one form should be used, uniformity of size being 

 almost indispensable. 



LOCATION OF APIAKY. 



A sheltered situation in a valley is much to be preferred rather than on a 

 hill. Shade is desirable in the hot weather of July and August, but not in 

 spring and fall. Nothing better than wide-spreading fruit trees can be found, 

 a large apple tree furnishing ample shade for from eight to twelve colonies. 



SIZE OF APIAET. 



In an ordinary location, fifty to seventy-five colonies will usually yield better 

 proportionate returns than a larger number. As white clover and basswood 

 are the principal honey-producing flowers in this section, a location where 

 these abound is very desirable. The bee yard should be protected by high, 

 tight board fences to protect the bees from high winds, or hedges of ever- 

 greens will prove admirable shields against the winds. 



COMB FOUNDATION. 



This article is a valuable acquisition. It enables the bee-keeper to secure 

 straight, all worker comb. These advantages are only realized by the experi- 

 enced apiarian. 



Two kinds are in use, the thick and the thin ; the thick for the brood 

 chamber and the thin for use in the section boxes for surplus honey. It is 

 made by running thin sheets of wax between two steel rollers, the surfaces of 

 which are engraved in such a manner as to form the bases of the ceils. The 

 bees building out the cells on each side of the sheet. 



COMB AND EXTKACTED HONET. 



If all people were acquainted with the relative merits of comb and extracted 

 honey very little comb honey would be produced, as extracted honey is more 

 wholesome and furnishes more sweetness than comb honey, and when we con- 



