Small vs. Lirge Hives. 



F There is no point in bee-culture more 

 vital, yet no one on wiiicli tiiere is so nuicli 

 diversity of opinion and practice. Tiie use 

 of tiie movable frame is sui^ported by the 

 opinion and practice of all progressive bee- 

 keepers. Yet, as to the size and shape of 

 the frame, and consequently of the hive, 

 there is the greatest want of harmony. 



The Editor of the Journal, (vol'. XIII, 

 p. 1-23), says: " Opinions differ as to hives. 

 Any hive that you are accustomed to and 

 can manipulate, will do. More depends on 

 proper care than any particular style of 

 hive." And this opinion is shared by many. 



In order to approximate the truth" on this 

 subject, we must, forgetting all names and 

 authorities, go back to the nature and 

 habits of the bee, and pursue the inductive 

 method. A hollow tree is Nature's hive, 

 and conforms to the habit which Nature has 

 impressed, for bees always form a round 

 cluster, in order to preserve heat and vital- 

 ity; and the receptacle which surrounds 

 them should aid, and not tend to thwart 

 them in their efforts. The heat which is 

 formed by the cluster sliould be arrested by 

 a wall, the same distance from all parts of 

 the cluster; otherwise, the warmth camiot 

 be equalized, and is being constantly dissi- 

 pated by the colder air in the farther parts 

 of the receptacle. 



In making artificial hives, the nearest we 

 can conform to the exact demand is to 

 make the hive perfectly square and suffi- 

 ciently simtll, to closely enclose the cluster 

 in the ordinary winter condition and 

 average numbers. Where there is, in the 

 harvest season, a plethora of bees and stores, 

 we must provide upper receptacles and 

 deplete with the extractor, &c. 



It is the nature of the bee to work with 

 more energy in a hive that somewhat con- 

 tines them— for they enjoy the prospect, as 

 well as do men, of having only a reasonable 

 task before them, and of being well able to 

 accomplish it. It is very certain that in 

 such a home they are better able to protect 

 themselves against their various enemies. 



As a conclusion then, we suggest that 

 laterally a bee-hive should be i)erfectly 

 square. If it is asserted that Mr. Lang- 

 stroth favored a hive long from front to rear, 

 it may be replied, that Mr. Langstroth's 

 practice varied at different times. His hive, 

 at first, wss 14)^ inches from front to rear; 

 18)^ inches from side to side, and 9 inches 

 deep. After Mr. Quinby called his atten- 

 tion to some box hives "he had purchased, 

 that were made to lay on on<^ side, ana that 

 bees wintered in them well, Mr. Langstroth 

 then apopted a hive !il inches from front to 

 rear, 12 inches from side to side, and 10 

 inches deep. He next adopted a hive 1S>^ 

 inches from front to rear, li}4 inches from 

 side to side and 10 inches, deep. See his 

 book. .3rd edition, p. 330 and notes. 



His object seemed to have been to adont a 

 hive suitable for a shiilloiv frame, and large 

 enough in single story for a full colony and 

 its winter stores. 



But to contract the Langstroth hive, so as 

 to make it square or the same length from 

 front to rear, as from side to side, would 

 necessitate the constant use of a second 



story, except for nuclei or very small stocks. 



This, again, would conform to nature, for 

 ventilation is absohitely necessary to the 

 bee-hive, in order to carry off damp, nox- 

 ious, and heated air, both in winter and 

 suujmer. AVhat better ventilation can be 

 given than to allow the heated and corrupt 

 air, which is lighter than pure air, to ascend 

 and pass off' froni the bees and brood, 

 through the upper store combs. In hot 

 weather the heat ascends readily from the- 

 vital breeding part of the hive; and in cold 

 weather, the bees, as they retreat from the 

 entrance, get further up among the life- 

 giving stores. 



For the South, in order to be successful 

 in bee-culture, it is necessary for us to have 

 a two-story, tall hive. The Langstroth with 

 the upper story in constant use is too large 

 for an average stock. 



If the above premises are correct, the best 

 hive generally, and especially for the hot 

 climate we have, is the two-story, laterally 

 square hive, of moderate dimensions, say 

 with a shortened Langstroth or the Gallup 

 frame. Oscak F. Bedsoe, 



Grenada, Miss., March 7, 1878. 



Dividing Stocks 



The following is a good method for 

 dividing bees, and one that is both practical 

 and easily performed by the exijerienced: 



After providing an extra hive with empty 

 frames; or better, frames filled with conib» 

 proceed to open the hive to be divided, and 

 after subduing the bees with smokeorother- 

 wise, lift out the brood combs with ali 

 adhering bees, until % of all the brood is 

 removed, placing the same in the new hive 

 and being careful not to remove the queen. 



Fill all unoccupied space in both hives 

 with comb frames. Locate the new hive 

 some distance from the old. All the t)ld 

 bees will return to the parent hive, bub 

 enough young bees will remain to care for 

 the brood. 



A fertile queen may be given the new 

 colony after 48 hours, or about sunset on the 

 second day, by quietly setting her on one of 

 the brood combs. The bees, being all 

 young, will accept her and the work is done. 



We introduced many queens to new colo- 

 nies, last season, as here given, without the 

 loss of a single queen. The new colony 

 will not work much for a time, but is gen- 

 erally equal if not superior to the parent 

 stock, ill a few days. S. D. McLean. 



Culleoka, Tenn., March 9, 1878. 



Chattanooga, Tenn., March 20tli, 1878. 

 "I am of opinion that the reason why 

 some comb-honey that is made on founda- 

 tion starters, contains a tough center called 

 "fish-bone," is caused by the wax having 

 been subjected to such high pressure when 

 rolled in the machine, as to render it tough 

 and horn-like. If tlie rollers of the ma- 

 chine are adjustable, they should be slacked 

 enough to make a good impression for the 

 bottom of the cells, but not allowed to raise 

 a septum between them. For starters, I 

 should prefer soft-rolled foundation, but for 

 the brood-coml)s, I would prefer thick /lard- 

 rolled foundation." S. C. Dodge. 



