226 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



ments in their stead. The bee-space 

 was %-inch between the brood-fraraes 

 and surplus boxes. The bees would 

 store nearly as much honey in this bee- 

 space as they put into the sections. 



The first thing I did was to knock out 

 the wide hanging frames and closed-top 

 sections. Then I closed the bee-space 

 down to % inch, and I found the top- 

 bars were sagging, and the bees still put 

 in burr-combs. I decided that the spac- 

 ing (J2 inch) was too large between the 

 top-bars of the brood-frames ; so I made 

 the frames wider, and made the spacing 

 % inch — an improvement, but not com- 

 plete. 



I then decided to make the top-bars K 

 inch thick, and 1 1/lQ inches wide, 

 and bring the spacing between the 

 frames to 5/16 of an inch. I closed 

 down the bee-space between the brood- 

 frames and surplus boxes to from }i to 

 5/16 of an inch ; cut the old 10-frame 

 hive down to l-lV^ inches, outside meas- 

 ure; studied out, and put in a complete 

 break-joint honey-board in the bottom 

 of the section-case, turning the sections 

 crosswise of the hive. The break-joint 

 honey-board makes the section support. 



Now I have a hive that I like, and I 

 am succeeding with it ; no more sagging 

 of brood-frames, no burr-combs, and it 

 is easily managed, and as simple as a 

 pin. All we want in a top-bar is 

 strength enough to support the weight. 

 Further than that the depth of the top- 

 bar has nothing to do with the burr- 

 comb problem. It is in the spacing 

 of the brood-fraraes, the space between 

 the frames and surplus, combined with 

 the break-joint principle, that does away 

 with the burr-comb business. 



But with all this done, we are not sat- 

 isfied with present attainments. There 

 was such an unrest and a cry for fixed 

 frames, that last year I invented a self- 

 spacing frame that is meeting with large 

 demand, and receives praise wherever it 

 goes. I cut the end-bars 1% inches 

 wide, and then scallop them out on the 

 edge to within }i inch of each end, using 

 same top-bar as described above. When 

 the frames are put to place, the end-bars 

 touch at the top and bottom, and leaves 

 a bee-space between the end-bars. This 

 scallop allows the frames to come to- 

 gether without crushing the bees, and 

 the top-bars of the brood-frames are 

 spaced 5/10 of an inch apart. 



I have used the plain frame for two 

 years, and self-spacing frame one year, 

 and have no change to make in them for 

 the coining season. 



Mr. A. I. Root has made an improve- 

 ment in the Ilofl'man frame, by giving it 



a straight top-bar (my top-bar). I think 

 that the self-spacing frames have come 

 to stay, especially with the inexperi- 

 enced and careless bee-keepers. 



Vermont State Bee-Keepers' Convention. 



H. W. SCOTT. 



The ITth annual convention of the 

 Vermont State Bee-Keepers' Association 

 began at Middlebury, Vt., on Jan. 27, 

 1892, with about 30 representative bee- 

 keepers present. The convention was 

 called to order by President V. V. Black- 

 mer, who opened the convention by a 

 short but pointed address, congratulat- 

 ing the bee-keepers of Vermont on the 

 successful season just passed, and on the 

 enthusiasm which brought so many from 

 various parts of the State. 



The committee on nominations was H. 

 L. Leonard, W. G. Larrabee, H. J. 

 Manchester ; and on resolutions, A. E. 

 Manum, J. E. Crane and J. S. Clark. 



The first discussion of the session, 

 "New races of bees," was led by H. W. 

 Scott, of Barre, and remarks were made 

 by O. J. Lowry, of Jericho ; J. E. Crane, 

 of Middlebury ; A. E. Manum, of Bris- 

 tol ; H. L. Leonard, of Brandon ; R. H. 

 Holmes, of Shoreham ; W. G. Larrabee, 

 of Larrabee's Point, and President V. V. 

 Blackmer, of Orwell. The evidence 

 brought forth seemed to be general that 

 no new races of bees had been suffi- 

 ciently tested to warrant a general pur- 

 chase. 



A report of the North American Bee- 

 Keepers' Convention was given by W. G. 

 Larrabee. Next was read a letter from 

 J. H. Larrabee, of the Michigan Agri- 

 cultural College, a former Secretary, 

 congratulating the Association on the 

 success of the past year. 



At the morning session, Jan. 28, reso- 

 lutions were adopted as follows : 



Resolved, That we recognize with 

 glad and grateful hearts the abundant 

 flow of honey the past season, as coming 

 direct from the hands of the Giver of 

 all good things. 



. Resolved, That we rejoice together in 

 the improved condition and outlook for 

 the business of boe-kcepihg in Vermont. 



Resolved, That we tender our thanks 

 to the railroad comi)ani('s, and to the 

 proprietor of the Addison House, for 

 favors granted the Association. 



The first discussion was on the topic, 

 "Overstocking in Verwioiit; can it be 

 done?" This was followed by "Older 



