GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



1875 



'JHE ITIETAL, CORNERS. 



HOW TO MAKE THE FRAMES. 



S metal cornered frames are now coming 

 i^^ quite extensively into use, it may not be 

 amiss to consider how best they arc to be 

 made. Our trames were first made of strips 

 of straight grained pine, only ig *^f '^i^ incli in 

 thickness, and it is surprising to see how well 

 such comljs have stood. On one occasion a 

 number of these heavily filled with honey fell 

 fro'.n the top of a barrel, yet not a corner was 

 injured, and not a comb broken ; these were 

 Gallup frames, however, only 11^4x1114. For 

 the Langstroth frames we now make the top 

 liar about 10--j2, and all the rest of the frame 

 1-'S2, the ends of the top bars are also tapei-ed 

 down to 7-'J3 where the top corners go on, as 

 this is about the thickness of stuff that the 

 corners are intended for. Standard, American, 

 and Gallup frames are all made of 7-o2 stuff 

 thi-oughout. The Quinby size may have a % 

 top Ixiv, l)ut the bottom Ixxrs might all be not 

 more than ig, were it not that the frames may 

 be sometimes used for transferring, and that 

 the v>'eight of the combs would sag the bottom 

 bar, y.'hich is a very 1)ad feature, if we wish to 

 work closely and avoid killing bees. The top 

 l>ars would not reciuire so much wood were it 

 not that honey boxes are sometimes placed on 

 them, and it is advisable to be on the safe side. 

 When we depend entirely on the use of the ex- 

 tractor, we would prefer a space of half an 

 inch between the ends of the frames ; but for 

 box honey, small bits of comb will be biiilt in 

 this space, more than will be the case when 3^ 

 only is allowed. It requires a very careful 

 operator to. work fast, and and avoid pinching 

 bees, when only I4 or ?g iuch is allowed. At 

 one time last season we were much in I'avor of 

 n. hive made of sections, to hold 2, 4, G, S, or 10 

 coml>s, but we now feel much less faith in the 

 policy of tolerating 3 or 4 coml) hives in the 

 Apiary at any season, and much as such an 

 arrangement might be desired, thy inconven- 

 iences are too great, we think, to have them 

 come into use. Putting in a division board is 

 much simpler, and will, we think, answer 

 nearly as well. It is true the closed end 

 Quinby fraiue makes this very easy, but we 

 have received so many adverse reports since 

 the time we were disposed to favor them, that 

 we think very few bee-keepers will ever sub- 

 mit to be annoyed by tliem, unless they work 

 their Apiary mainly for box honey. 



The two following cuts may assist some in 

 putting on the metal corners: 



Fi- 1. 1 Fig. 2. 



Figure 1 represents the points ready to be 

 closed down and clinched into the wood, 

 which is represented by the dotted lines A, A. 

 Fig. 3 shows a point badly clinched at B, and 

 one perfectly driven down at C. The line D 

 shows the direction in which the linishing 

 blow of the hammer is to be given ; in fact 

 this blow should sink the metaT slightly into 

 the corner of the wood, drawing it up tight at 

 the side C, and on no account letting it bulge 



out as at B, nor allowing tlie point to curl up.. 

 A light, properly made hammer and a little 

 practice will enable anyone to make every 

 point like C. Should you get one done ]:)adly, 

 you can with a pair of plyers straighten it out 

 and mfike it go right. The objection has fre- 

 quently Ijeen made that this takes more time 

 than to nail them; even if this were so, we are 

 enabled to employ girls or other cheap help 

 (we beg pardon ladies, but we never yet saw a 

 community that did not furnish more or less 

 females, who wouhl be glad to get some such 

 light work,) who could not possibly nail good 

 frames ; then after they are doue, their superior 

 strength and lightness compared with nailed 

 frames, fully makes up the difference in price. 

 We will send you a sample frame by mail, just 

 as we would have it for 15c. (13c. Standard 

 size) including sample of rabbet and trans- 

 ferring clasp and you can test it by the side 

 of your own frame in your hives. If the 

 nailed ones do not seem awkward after using 

 it, you, of course, need not invest any further. 

 See our price list for further particulars. 



The metal corners were patented June 18th, 

 1872. This was done only to protect our busi- 

 ness of manufacturing them. No rights have 

 ever l)eeu offered for sale and probalDly never 

 will be. 



Would it not be a guod idea in publishing "testi- 

 monials," to give the adverse letters received, as 

 well as those from our "pleased" customers? Un- 

 doubtedly this plan would give the ]niblic a view of 

 both sides of the question. We haven't had a dissat- 

 isfied letter j'et, in regard to the Medley, and those 

 received in regard to our hives and extractors, we 

 have generally published. Perhaps the nearest to a 

 com|)laiut about the corners, is given in this supple- 

 ment ; if our friend who wrote it has no other cause of 

 complaint, we think the objection he gives has been 

 already remedied. As we have said before, wc value 

 honest criticism, and hojje our friends will "talk outV 

 when thev don't feel satisfied. 



Please bear in mind that mistakes are always liable 

 with all the care that can possibly be taken. A case 

 is at hand where an Extractor wfis damaged by the 

 11. R. Co., and had to be returned to us for repairs; 

 now although we sent a new one in its place with all 

 possible despatch, our customer never entertained the 

 idea, it would seem, that the delay was from any fault 

 but our own. In case of a delay, tell us briefly when 

 and what you ordered, aud whether you have received 

 any thing from us to indicate your order reached us. 

 Some goods were recently burned in a warehouse ; 

 this caused na trouble, the K. 11. Co. trouble, and our 

 customers trouble, and although all responsibility on 

 our part had ceased, we preferred to duplicate the 

 burned goods, and run the risk of getting our pay of 

 the 11. It. Co., somclinie. 



CO]\J[E ^OUTM I 



APIARY FOR SALE IN NEW ORLEANS. 



i C)K COLOISIIES ITALIAX AND HYBRID 

 L^tJ BEES, in Frame Hives, will be sold at a 

 bargain on account of departure. Eor raising early 

 (,>ueens or lioney, for home, Xorthern or Western 

 markets, this is a good oijportunity for an enterpris- 

 ing man to make a comfortable livelihood with less 

 than S500 capital. Address, 



JXO. J. KIVERA, Xcw Orleans, La. 



