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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Dec. 3, 1903. 



L 



Some Expert Opinion 



In the multitude of counsellors there is safetj."— Bible. 



] 



Best Dimensions of Brood-Frame. 



If for some reason you were to start in anew to keep bees, and 

 were obliged to get an entirely new outdt — 



Ques. 1. — What would be the dimensions of the brood- frame? 

 Why? 



N. E. France (Wis.)— Standard Lansstroth. Only size salable 

 on the maarket. 



Eugene Seoor (Iowa)— Lacgstroth size. Because, on the whole, 

 I have never seen a better one. 



R. L. Tati.or (Mich.) — 18 inches by .^'h inches. Because it gives 

 me a divisible brood-chamber, and an elastic one to some extent. 



Mrs. L. Harrison (Ills.)— The Langstroth frame. It is the only 

 one I've had experience with, and the inventor made no mistakes. 



Dh. C. C. Miller (Ills.)— 17?^x9}s. For two reasons: It is 

 most nearly standard, and it is perhaps the best size when working 

 for comb honey. 



C. P. Dadant (Ills.)^Langstroth top-bar with 2 inches more 

 depth. Because the hive would be larger, the frame would be better 

 for wintering, and general results more satisfactory. 



.Jas. a. Stone (Ills.) — Regular Langstroth size. Most oonven" 

 lent to handle, and for the reason that two supers, or a double story, 

 makes just the size needed for the frame for extracting. 



E. Whitcomb (Nebr.)— S-frame. This size is large enough to 

 furnish the colony an ample brood-nest, and which should be set apart 

 entirely for that purpose. We never go into the brood-chamber for 

 honey. 



Wm. Rourig (Ariz.)— I would use the standard Langstroth frame, 

 17-5j:x9J(,. Just as much honey can be produced by its use as by any 

 other ; it is convenient to handle, and more easily obtained when 

 wanted. 



C. Davenport (Minn.) — For single-brood -story hives I believe 

 what I now have. The Langstroth size suits me as well as anything I 

 know of. For double-brood-chamber hives I prefer a frame the same 

 length, and about 5 inches deep. 



Dr. J. P. H. Brown (Ga.) — I would use a frame l('Vx9i-„ ; top- 

 bar lU inches. Because this size of frame is the best suited to accommo- 

 date my section-cases. Were I living in a higher latitude, I might use 

 a deeper frame so as to economize heat. 



C. II. DiBBERN (Ills. )— Well, I would u.se about such a frame as I 

 have used for the past 20 years — 7x20 inches, close ends. Such a 

 frame needs no wiring, if foundation is rightly used; and it is a very 

 easy matter to remove and handle the frames. 



E. E. Hasty (Ohio)— The common Langstroth, 17^x9,V. Good 

 frame on its own merits. Bees on it will sell for more. Also, supplies 

 for it can be more conveniently had. I used to argue against the 

 Langstroth, and it has kind 'o floored me in the course of years of use. 



G. M. DooLiTTLE (N. Y.) — Perhaps the regular Langstroth frame 

 is as good as any, and has the advantage of being more largely in use 

 than any other, so that in any exchange made with others, or in get- 

 ting new frames from the manufacturers, little if any delay is experi- 

 enced. 



.1. M. Hambaugh (Calif.) — Locality has a great deal to do with 

 this question. In this State I do not see how the regular Langstroth 

 size can be bettered. But where the wintering problem is a factor in 

 consideration, I think I would adopt a larger frame, and one more 

 square in dimensions. 



.1. A. Green (Colo.)— I am very well satisfied with the frame 

 which I am using, which is 5;'kx17^si used in a double brood-chamber; 

 but if I were starting anew, I would make it only S^,, deep, in order 

 that Che brood-chamber and a super that would take a section 5 inches 

 deep would be exactly alike. 



P. II. Elwood (N. Y.) — Our frame is about 10x16 inches, inside. 

 For section honey a somewhat shallower frame might be better, but 

 for winter a still deeper frame would be better. Also, the shallow 

 frames are not so good for spring building up. Any change would be 

 toward a deeper and shorter frame. 



S. T. Pettit (Out.) — I am not quite sure, but to be in line with 

 the majority, with the advantages that are carried with it, I would be 

 drawn to the Langstroth. But I like better a frame 9x16 inches, 13 to 

 the hive, because a wide, short hive gives better ventilation, and a 

 short frame is more rigid than a long one; and more, such a hive 

 gives room for dividi-rs, uiid :ili sectiom: to eacli super. 



Prof. A. J. Cook (Calif.)— Regular Langstroth. I give the rea- 

 sons in my " Bee-Keeper's Guide." It is good, if not the best. Most 

 bee-keepers use it. It is desirable to have hives that are like those of 

 most bee-keepers. It is easier to sell bees. Every bee-keeper should 

 produce both kinds of honey, so as to meet all demands. The Lang- 

 stroth is as good a hive as any for this general work, in my opinion. 



L. Staohelhausen (Tex.j- I prefer a frame as long as the Lang- 

 stroth, and .'j-'V inches high. Two, and sometimes three, stories are 

 used for the brood-chamber. To explain why, I would need the ^pace 

 in the American Bee Journal for one or two articles. The main reason 

 is, that shallow frames save nearly one-half of the time necessary for 

 extracting; and that I want all frames in the apiary alike and later- 

 changeable. 



O. O. PopPLETON (Fla.) — 12 inches deep by 14 long, inside meas- 

 ure. I produce extracted honey only, and use the single-story system, 

 or what is known as the "Long Ideal hive." All colonies should be 

 in as compact a form as possible, and to use shallower frames in this 

 form of hive, would spread them out too much for best results. The 

 sii{6' 12x14 gives about the right medium between too shallow and too 

 large a frame, for this method of management. 



Rev. M. Mahin (Ind ) — The frame I useis 12 incheslong and lO'^ 

 inches deep, and I am very well satisfied with it. If I were going to 

 make any change in it, I would add two inches to its length, and '^ 

 inch to its depth. I would then use 10 frames to the hive. This 

 would make the brood chamber nearl.v square, and give ample room 

 for brood-rearing and winter stores. The frames would be very easily 

 manipulated. There is advantage in having the brood-chamber com- 

 pact. 



G. W. Demaree (Ky.)— In deciding a question of this kind no 

 doubt but the important matters of locality, climate, etc., should be 

 taken into consideration. In my locality, I would not change the 

 original Langstroth dimensions of brood-frame. Why' Because I 

 have, in the past 2? years, experimented with a great many sizes of 

 frames, and have never found any size or shape of frame that is so 

 well adapted to proper size and form of the brood department of the 

 hive. 



E. S. Lovest (Utah) — I believe with the long and varied experi- 

 ence that I have had with many styles and sizes of hives, if I were 

 starting anew I would use a frame about 13 inches deep and 13).< 

 Inches long, and the top-bar 1.5 inches long. Because it is the best 

 shape and size frame tor wintering. And, while you don't ask for 

 dimensions of hive, if I lived in a cold climate I would make a double- 

 walled hive with loose bottom-board— a hive that is simple, cheap, 

 and easy to make; but I have not space here to describe it. 



.Mrs. J. M. Null (.Mo.)— Standard Langstroth size. I have most 

 success with this size, and for the sake of uniformity of fixtures; 

 more of this size being used than any other one size, and possibly 

 more than all others put together throughout my territory. A well- 

 known bee-keeper is quite frequently offered bargains in small lots of 

 bees and fixtures, which, if of uniform size, it is good policy to accept, 

 not only because of its being " money in the pocket," but because 

 these little " side-shows " (in more than one sense) prove a " thorn in 

 the llesh " of the specialist. 



•Adrian Getaz (Tenn.)— As to length, such as will admit the 

 lengtli of the hive to be the skme as the supers. These (if using 4'4X- 

 4^4 sections) should be 17',s inches long in.side, giving room for four 

 rows of sections and ^^ inch play for facility of handling. As to 

 depth, such as will give a brood-nest of full size, using only 9 frames. 

 With more than 9 frames the supers are too large, as they must cover 

 the brood-nest. As to what constitutes a full-size brood-nest, see 

 " Langstroth Revised." It is the equivalent of something more than 

 12 ordinary Langstroth frames. The tall frames are much better far 

 wintering outdoors. The honey being above the bees it can always be 

 reached. The cold air coming in at the entrance does not strike the 

 bees as hard as it will when the cluster is barely above the entrance. 



R. C. AiKiN (Colo.) — Starting anew, I would have my frame .5 

 inches deep and 16 long, outside measure, used in divisible-brood- 

 chauiber hive. The reasons are that I can handle hives most of the 

 time instead of frames; can contract or enlarge at will without chang- 

 ing width or length, and in away that is, by -il/oddx, the least objeetioii- 

 abJe, and least annoying, and out of harmony with the bee-nature; can 

 get the largest amount of brood with a minimum of swarming-fever ; 

 can tell more quickly if swarming preparations have begun ; can have 

 the brood-nest in better shape for winter, and better wintering ; can get 

 stroirger colonies in spring; all together, I can accomplish much more 

 with the same labor and time. I will be laughed at, but I am prob- 

 ably nearer on the road to control of swarming than those who use the 

 old-style frame and hive — the Langstroth hive. 



" The Hum of the Bees in the Apple-Tree Bloom " is 

 the name of the finest bee-keeper's song — words by Hon 

 Eugene Secor and music by Dr. C. C. Miller. This is 

 thought by some to be the best bee-song yet written by Mr. 

 Secor and Dr. Miller. It is, indeed, a " hummer." We can 

 furnish a single copy of it postpaid, for 10 cents, or 3 copies 

 for 25 cents. Or, we will mail a half-dozen copies of it for 

 sending us o?ie new yearly subscription to the American 

 Bee Journal at $1.00. 



Our Wood Binder (or Holder) is made to take all the 

 copies of the American Bee Journal for a year. It is sent 

 by mail for 20 cents. Full directions accompany. The Bee 

 Journals can be inserted as soon as they are received, and 

 thus preserved for future reference. Upon receipt of $1.00 

 for your Bee Journal subscription a full year tn advance, 

 we will mail you a Wood Binder free — if you will mention it. 



