IIIVE-MAKIX(t. 



239 



HIVES. 



J 



We said the Langstroth is the standard 

 tliroiighout the United States ; but of late 

 there has been a tendency toward a frame 

 of the same length, but two inches deeper. 

 There is also a tendency to go to the other 

 extreme in adopting a frame of Langstroth 

 length, but two or three inches shallower, 

 using two stories of such a hive for a single 

 brood-nest. 



On account of the diverse notions of bee- 

 keepers, and the peculiarities of locality, it 

 would hardly be worth while to give general 

 directions for the manufacture of any one 

 hive ; and, besides, no printed directions will 

 give as good an idea of the construction of a 

 hive as the very thing itself. For these and 

 other reasons it would be far better for the 

 one who intends to make hives to send to 

 some manufacturer for a sample in the flat, 

 all completp. With the several pieces for 

 patterns he will then know exactly the shape 

 and dimensions, how to make the rabbets, 

 and in general how the hive is constructed 

 in every detail. If one does not find on the 

 market just such a hive as suits his notion, 

 of course he sees, or thinks he sees, " in his 

 mind's eye " just what he wants to make ; 

 but in that case we would advise him to make 

 a sample or two before he makes very many 

 of them; for nine times out of ten — yes, 

 ninety-nine times out of one hundred — he 

 will discard the one of his " own get-up," 

 and adopt some standard made by manufac- 

 turers iienerallv. 



HIVISS based on Langstroth dimen- 

 sions are the standard. Some thirty years ago 

 there were in use the American, Gallup, 

 Langstroth, Adair, and Quinby frames. 

 All of these reqiiired, of course, hives of 

 different dimensions. Between the Adair, 

 the Gallup, and the American there was 

 but very little difference, comparatively, as 

 they were square, and very nearly of a 

 size. The Langstroth was long and shal- 

 low—the shallowest frame that had then 

 been introduced ; and the Quinby, having 

 about the same proportions, was the larg- 

 est frame in general use. By consulting the 

 diagram containing the different sizes of 

 frames it will be seen that there are prac- 

 tically two classes— the square and the ob- 

 long. As there would be but very little dif- 

 ference, theoretically and practically, be- 

 tween the results secured with a Gallup, 

 American, and Adair, we will consider 

 the arguments for the square frame. 



The Jumbo frame will be considered later 

 on under the head of Largk Hives. 



SQUARE FRAMES — ARGUMENTS IN THEIR 

 FAVOR. 



In nature, bees have a tendency to make a 

 brood-nest in the form of a sphere ; patches 

 of brood are more inclined to be circular 

 than square or oblong. Theoretically, then, 

 a circular frame would be the best ; but as 

 that would not be practicable, owing to 

 the difficulty in the construction of the 

 frame and hive, obviously the square frame 

 would come the nearest in conforming to 

 nature and a perfect cube for the hive. The 

 square frame, as a rule, called for a hive in 

 the exact shape of a cube. If, for instance, 

 the frame was 12 inches square, outside di- 



Gallup. S^ 



18 H 

 Quinby. iS; 



Adair. JS; 



17^8 

 Langstroth. j^ 



American, fj 



19/8 



Closed-end Quinby. |:^ 



Danzenbaker, 



TA X 17. 



mensions, then the hive, if the combs were 

 spaced If inches apart, and 12f inches wide 

 inside, should take in just nine American 

 frames. Such a hive, it was argued, would 

 conserve the heat of the bees to the best 

 advantage, would give the greatest cubical 

 contents for a given amount of lumber — 

 barring, of course, the perfect sphere. As it 

 economized heat in winter, it would winter 

 bees better than a hive having oblong frames. 

 All of this seemed to be very pretty in the- 

 ory ; and there are some users of square 

 frames who insist that the theory is borne 

 out by actual experience. But the great ma- 



