AMERICAN BEE JOUf=lKrAL. 



637 



Topics of Interest. 



Some Eeinarts on Closefl-Eni Frames. 



JAMES HEBDON. 



I have just read Dr. Tinker's essay on 

 the above subject, on page 577. When 

 "great lights" (?) differ so widely, it 

 will no doubt be well to discuss the sub- 

 ject Tpro and con. 



What the Doctor says about Father 

 Langstroth's invention is true in the 

 main ; that invention marks the line be- 

 tween the go-lucky method of honey 

 production and the scientific way. Easy 

 movable frames were the educators of 

 bee owners, but after the bee-keeper has 

 his education, then It becomes a ques- 

 tion whether or not he can produce 

 the most honey with less expense with 

 these hanging frames or with the fixed 

 frames, especially when the latter are 

 arranged so as to be as easily moved as 

 the former. 



Again, before the advent of comb- 

 foundation, the lateral movement was 

 almost a necessity, especially if the 

 frames were deep ; now it is of no es- 

 pecial account, particularly with the 

 shallow frames. Bee-keepers are begin- 

 ning to see that it is to their interest to 

 adopt fixed frames. 



To make money out of bee-keeping at 

 the present prices, it becomes necessary 

 to keep larger apiaries and economize 

 in labor ; this demands the handling of 

 hives more and frames less, which is the 

 old topic I was the first to write about, 

 nearly ten years ago. So far the Doctor 

 and I do not differ very much, but when 

 he says that fixed frames had better be 

 arranged some other way than to have 

 closed end-bars, there we differ widely. 

 I maintain that end-bars should be tight 

 fitting their entire length, and that they 

 should fit each other tightly, and the 

 case loosely, so as to admit of easy 

 manipulation in and out, while they fit 

 closely enough to entirely prevent the 

 bees from going between them and the 

 case. Of course it will be seen at once 

 that if the frames do not fit each other 

 tightly, their entire length, they must 

 have bee-spaces between their ends and 

 the case. 



I object to the Hoffman. I have 

 always considered it the worst frame 

 yet devised, and I give for my reasons 

 the fact that the uprights touch each 

 other only apart of their length, which 

 gives the frames their fixedness, while I 



the openings between them, a portion of 

 their length and between them and the 

 case, do not admit of rapid, easy manip- 

 ulation, because they Invite propolis 

 and burr-combs, and assist in pinching 

 bees when withdrawing or re-inserting 

 them in the case. 



I leave wholly out of the question the 

 objections many writers have made to 

 the space they take up, circulation of 

 air, etc., as I consider them minor ; but 

 another important objection is the lurk- 

 ing place they afford for the queen when 

 we are searching for her. I do not 

 wonder that the Doctor entertains 

 doubts regarding fixed-frames taking 

 the place of hanging Langstroth frames. 

 I have more doubts than he, unless those 

 fixed frames have uprights tightly fitting 

 each other their entire length, and fitting 

 the case as above described. 



The Doctor says that nothing can be 

 better than the Langstroth arrange- 

 ment, because it has been used for so 

 many, many years ; well, if he is right, 

 it is no use for us to attempt any im- 

 provements. If this is true, the same is 

 true in horticulture. As with the Lang- 

 stroth frame, the Wilson's Albany Seed- 

 ling Strawberry is by its present popular 

 use pronounced the best extant, and it 

 is about the same age as the Langstroth 

 frame. But the horticulturist, as usual, 

 will endeavor to produce a strawberry 

 better, as an all-around market-berry, 

 than the Wilson. 



Think of the many years the Hoffman 

 frame was before the public without 

 favor. The Doctor mentions our friends 

 Root, of Medina, and just here I wish to 

 say, that in my opinion their advocacy 

 of the Hoffman frame, and not general 

 experience with that frame is what is 

 giving it its temporary reputation. I have 

 always considered it the least adapted 

 to the instinct of the honey-bee, and 

 the convenience of the bee-keeper. 



Am I not correct in saying that there 

 was very little demand for any kind of 

 fixed frames when I begun introducing 

 my new hive, six years ago ? Was there 

 then a supply dealer in America who 

 was selling hives containing fixed frames 

 of any kind ? 1 do not know of one ; 

 since that time they have become some- 

 what popular. I presume that friend 

 Root does not desire to infringe my in- 

 vention as regards the frame or the 

 brood-sections in two sections, and in 

 trying to meet the demand for fixed 

 frames in some shape, he has adopted 

 the old Hoffman, and if he is not already 

 convinced, I shall labor hard before the 

 end of 1892 to convince friend Root 

 that the Hoffman is an unscientific 



