AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Ill 



ond use more discretion, and study to 

 avoid a famine. One thing is certain, 

 they do not all act by the same rules, as 

 I think they would if instinct was their 

 only guide ; but, to the contrary, exer- 

 cise different judgment. 

 Glenville, Ky. 



MicMpn Slate Bee-Keepers' Coiiyention. 



GEO. E. HILTON. 



The Twenty-sixth Annual Convention 

 of the Michigan State Bee-Keepers' As- 

 sociation convened at the Eagle Hotel, 

 Grand Rapids, on Dec. 31, 1891 and 

 Jan. 1, 1892, at 2 p.m.. President R. L. 

 Taylor in the chair. The President 

 stated that owing to the lateness of 

 trains there was no morning session. 



There being no objection, the reading 

 of the minutes of tlie last meeting was 

 dispensed with. We then had a few 

 minutes recess for the payment of dues, 

 and the reception of members, and then 

 listened to the following address: 



The Best All-Furpose Brood-Frame. 



Your Secretary asked me to talk 

 about brood-frames, and I consented, 

 never thinking, in my simplicity, that 

 he was to put upon me the task of de- 

 termining a question which is one of the 

 greatest importance, and one that has 

 troubled many since the time of the 

 invention of the Langstroth frame. 



The point has been decided many 

 times, and yet will never be decided. By 

 this I mean that it is not a very difficult 

 task for each one to select for himself 

 the frame best suiting his ideas and 

 requirements, from among those with 

 which he is familiar ; and yet no con- 

 vention of bee-men were ever unani- 

 mous upon this point. Although it is a 

 question upon which complete unanimity 

 of opinion will never be reached, yet 

 that which cannot be absolutely decided 

 may be relatively so. 



While it would be presumption in me 

 to attempt to decide which may be the 

 best all-purpose frame, I may be excused 

 for trying to point out some of the 

 principles that should be embodied in a 

 good brood-frame. 



The most essential principle to be 

 observed in bee-hive construction, it 

 seems to me, is the preservation of a 

 proper bee-space above, between and at 

 the ends of the brood-frames ; and, to 

 my idea, the frame best preserving this 

 principle in connection with the simplest 

 construction of body, consistent with the 



manipulations sought, is the best all- 

 purpose brood-frame. Many assert 

 that the frame at present sold by Mr. 

 Root, in connection with the dovetailed- 

 hive, is much better adapted for general 

 purposes than the older styles of the 

 Langstroth. The difference between 

 the spacing of the old style and new 

 style is shown in the diagram. 



The narrower bottom-bar that Mr. 

 Root has I'ecently brought out, is also, I 

 believe, an improvement. We know 

 that bees never build brace-combs be- 

 tween bottom-bars, when properly man- 

 aged. The combs are more firmly 

 attached to the bottom, and, when re- 

 moving a central comb, the narrow bar 

 does not roll the bees, or take off the 

 projecting honey on the adjoining combs. 

 I am quite sure this is right, as I have 

 in use, in Vermont, some 2,000 frames 

 with bottom-bars % inch in width. 



The sagging of the top-bars of such 

 a long frame as the Langstroth has 

 always been a trouble, and all sorts of 

 devices of wires and braces have been 

 tried, in the effort to overcome this 

 tendency. Some have even adopted a 

 shorter or different size of frame on this 

 account. Some have used the heroic 

 treatment, and stiffened the top-bar by 

 making it of extra thickness, but not 

 until a short time ago when the Root 

 establishment took hold of it, with their 

 wide influence, did it find any general 

 favor. At the same time the top-bar 

 was made wider, and the correct bee- 

 space was maintained in both directions. 

 Those of us who objected to it, because 

 of so much wood in the brood-chamber, 

 have either been won over, or given up 

 the fight in despair. 



This large bar of wood does seem like 

 an objection(!). Is it so, or is it a benefit 

 in disguise ? It certainly is preferable 

 to a honey-board, if like results can be 

 obtained. 



This longed-for best frame may have 

 either closed or open ends, or be a com- 

 promise of both, as in the Hoffman. Any 

 of these varieties may be best for differ- 

 ent methods of management, and when 

 that great desideratum, the best method 

 of managemement is discovered, we will 

 have a definite pointer to aid in selecting 

 the best brood-frame. 



Certainly, whole or partly-closed end 

 frames are best for that large class of 

 hee-keepers who persist in putting either 

 six or ten frames in an eight-frame 

 brood-chamber, and seldom open the 

 hives. 



Many still hold that the narrow-end 

 frames are the best, and I am free to 

 acknowledge that I still have doubts as 



