306 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



styles and finish — somo with boxes, others composed of ^^ improved^ 

 7novahlc\ sectional frame s^^"" and others combining the two principles — 

 nsing a square box for the brood hive and "sectional frames," and small 

 honey boxes for obtaining the surph^s honey. 



We believe the following illustrations and descriptions of these hives 

 w^ill be acceptable to our readens. 



Fig. 1 is a hive containing the two principles combined ; with the top 

 and back opened, showing the internal arrangement. The boxes g and 

 H, with the honey boxes i and j on the top, represent the " Combination 

 Ilive^'' patented 1852. That part occupied with the " Sectional Frames,''^ 

 AAAA is the late improvement of Mr. Phelps, also combining the two 

 impi'ovements, by using one box (h) for the brood-hive^ with three 

 or four of the frames, aaa, placed by the side (as seen in the engra- 

 ving), with communications from the brood-hivu to the frames, which 

 are easily opened and closed at will, by means of a thin slide between 

 the apartments. The advantages secured by the use of the small frames, 

 in the place of a large honey box, as formerly used, is, in obtaining the 

 surplus honey in a much more desirable condition, either for family use, 

 or for market: as it is stored in the small frames in separa^ pieces, five 

 or six inches square, in which condition it is taken from the hive with- 

 out cutting or marring the comb:^, and can be kept in the frames until 

 used. 



The arrangement for freeing the honey and frames from the bees is 

 a matter worthy of note, as all that is necessary to be done is, to close 

 the communication between the apartrnents with the slides, and insert a 

 long tin exit tube in the front of the hive, so that the bees must pass out 

 throuyli the tubi\ from the apartments containing the honey-frames, and 

 in returning to the hive, will enter the brood apartment through a more 

 open space. In this way the bees are soon cleared from the honey, 

 leaving it free for removal, without resorting to smoking, driving, etc. 



The main brood-hive (h) is occupied by the bees as their permanent 

 residence, and is about one foot square in the clear, in the hives as now 

 made, it is divided into two equal parts, and joined at the center by 

 means of small dowels of wire, so as to be separated at will. In each 

 apartment there is cither a sectional frame ^ or guide bars, attached at 

 the adjoining edges, in which the bees construct their combs, parallel 

 with the separating joint, so that either half can be removed at will, 

 without cutting or marring the combs, while at the same time there is 

 no partition in the hive to separate the combs or bees; consequently, 

 tliey construct their brood-combs equally in each half of the hive, and 

 when cither is removed, there is a certainty of obtaining about one halt 

 of th.e brood combs — an advantage not secured in any other arrange- 

 ment that has come under our notice. 



The tops of these hives are so constructed that by means of a lato 

 improvement the bees cannot construct their combs across the frames or 

 bars. This is a very important feature in these hives, for, unless the 

 combs are constructed straight on the frames or har?, and parallel with the 

 joint of separation, the hive could not be taken apart without marring the 

 combs and injurinir the bees. It is also very important, in connection 

 with the " movable frames,'' ;is here much diuiculty has been experienced; 



