FIFTY YEARS A^IOXG THE BEES 85 



being about an inch and a half from the extreme end of 

 the top-bar, and a fourth of an inch from its upper sur- 

 face. About two and a fourth inches from the bottom 

 of the frame a nail is driven into each end-bar, these nails 

 being also on opposite sides. Hold the frame up before 

 you in its natural position, each hand holding one end of 

 the top-bar, and the two nails at the right end will be on 

 the side from you, while the two nails at the left end will 

 be on the side nearest to you. 



The object of having the nails so heavy is so that 

 they may not be driven farther into the w^ood when the 

 frames are crowded hard together. Once in a great while 

 the wood is split by having so heavy a nail driven, and if 

 such a nail could be obtained it would be better to have a 

 lighter nail with a head a fourth of an inch thick, so that 

 it could be driven automatically to place without the need 

 of a gauge, and without the possibility of being driven 

 farther in by any amount of crow^ding. 



I have never tried the metal spacers now used on 

 what are still called Hoffman frames, but it seems to me 

 they must be an immense improvement over the original 

 Hoffman frames, such as I had. I think, however, I 

 should still prefer such a nail as I have mentioned, be- 

 cause there is less opposing surface, and so less chance 

 for propolis. Such nails are in use in Europe. 



Objection has been made to metal spacers because 

 they are in the way of the uncapping knife. But why 

 should I, who do not use an uncapping knife, be denied 

 the frame that is best for my use, because, forsooth, it 

 doesn't suit an uncapper? Y^et I must say I am very 

 skeptical as to the objections to metal spacers on even 

 extracting frames. The spacers are only at one end of 

 the frame at each side, and if the knife starts at the 

 spacer-end it does not seem necssary to dull it on the 

 spacers. I have tried it enough to form something of an 

 opinion, and I have been told by those who ought to know 

 that the objection is a thing largely of imagination. 



