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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



projections of the top and bottom to extend over 

 the ends of the sides tliree-eighths of an inch (the 

 depth cut out) in front. When thus put logetlier, 

 you will have sections or frames one and one- 

 eightli inches wide, (the straight portions oppo- 

 site each other,) the projections of the top and 

 bottom directed backward, while those of the 

 side pieces are directed forward. AVhen these 

 frames are put together, you will have tlie pro- 

 jections at the ends of the tops and bottoms 

 fitting over the shoulders of the sides of the next 

 sections, and against the straight side of the next 

 top and bottom pieces. Now procure strips of 

 tin or thin lumber, and tack or otherwise fasten 

 them on the outside of the projecting points and 

 flush therewith, thus covering the openings made 

 by the wood removed. Place as many together 

 as will form a hive of the dimensions required ; 

 add shallow frames containing glass or wood ; 

 close the ends, and you will have a closed box or 

 brood chamber. A narrow strip of tin on each 

 side, extending across all the sections and fas- 

 tened to the terminal ones with the aid of the 

 shoulders, will hold all firmly together. Now if 

 you wish to use section honey boxes, use slats as 

 thin as possible ; cut out one side of each piece, 

 the same as for the brood chamber, onlj^ omit 

 the central projections. In putting together, 

 allow the tops and bottoms to extend only tbree- 

 sixteenths of an inch for shoulders in the honey 

 boxes. Add sections until the box contains the 

 same number as the brood chamber, and close 

 the ends with shallow frames with glass in them. 

 When you wish to use the boxes, remove the 

 strips of wood, closing the holes in the brood 

 chamber, and place two boxes on each side, so 

 that the openings will match. Allow the boxes 

 to communicate with each other, as well as with 

 the brood chamber ; place two boxes on top ; or 

 if you want still more box-room, use two tiers 

 on the tqp and three on the sides, allowing the 

 third tier on the sides to communicate with the 

 first tier on the top, as well as with the tier 

 beneath them. This will give you ten boxes, the 

 length of your brood chamber, all of which can 

 be separated into sections containing one comb 

 each, and holding in the aggregate, if they are 

 five inches high, six wide, and eighteen long, 

 (twelve sections,) one hundred and eighty (180) 

 pounds. 



By this arrangement the combs in the boxes 

 are but an extension of the corresponding combs 

 in the brood chamber, and every comb in the 

 boxes will be on a line with the corresponding 

 comb in all the other boxes and the hive— form- 

 ing as it were one sheet of comb, divided in the 

 boxes into pieces 5X6 inches. The spaces be- 

 tween the combs being continued through the 

 whole series, the corresponding combs in all 

 would seem to the bees but an extended single 

 comb. This would, no doubt, cause brood to 

 be reared at times in some of the sections of the 

 boxes ; but as each comb can be separated from 

 the rest, all sections containing brood can be 

 formed into a box, the brood allowed to hatch, 

 and the combs be used as guides in other hives. 

 Instead of allowing the frames or sections of 

 hives and boxes to rest directly on the bottom 

 board, they should be placed on strips of wood 



J + ^ inch, nailed to the bottom board. And if 

 desired, the strips of tin or Avood connecting the 

 bottoms of the sections can be omitted, and the 

 bees allowed to pass under the bottom pieces, as 

 in suspended frames. 



For wintering such a hive in the northern 

 States, it would be best to make a plain box, 

 without bottom, and with one end left open, of a 

 size that would fit closely over the brood chamber, 

 and could be so placed after the boxes are re- 

 moved. I have not attempted to describe any 

 form of outer case for the hive and boxes, or 

 to give any definite dimensions, only designing 

 to give the essential features peculiar to this hive, 

 expecting every one to be governed, in regard to 

 size, &c., according to his own experience and 

 judgment, localitj% &c. The principal objection 

 suggested to the form of sections used by Mr. 

 Adair was that bees would be liable to be crushed 

 in closing them, as in the leaf hives of Huber. 

 By cutting out, in the way explained, I have 

 attempted to remedy this fault. It will be im- 

 possible to crush a bee, except it be directly 

 under one of the points when closing, and these 

 can be made so small as to make it almost impos- 

 sible to crush even a single bee. The strips of 

 tin or wood do not close against another surface, 

 merely reaching opposite the outer corner of the 

 next section. I prefer strips of w®od about 

 three-fourths of an inch wide, so fastened as to 

 be easily removed, as they will not be used 

 during the honey harvest, except on honey boxes, 

 for closing such apertures as do not communicate 

 with the hive or another box. It is not absolutely 

 necessary that the sections forming the boxes 

 should have a portion cut out on ail sides, top 

 and bottom, only removing on the sides, top or 

 bottom, that may communicate with other boxes 

 or the hive— leaving the rest closed. But I pre- 

 fer having all honey boxes alike, so that they 

 will fit wherever placed, and close with a strip 

 such sides as are not wanted open. A hive of 

 this form can be made up to any dimensions, by 

 adding to it on the sides and top, and yet no 

 piece of comb without the brood chamber be 

 larger than five by six inches. 



As I said before, I do not know Mr. Quinby's 

 plan of hive, but can scarcely doubt that his is 

 better than mine. Yet, since making some of 

 these hives, I find them so easily made, work so 

 easily, and affording as they do unlimited expan- 

 sion, I prefer them to any hive I have ever seen. 

 If experience confirms my expectations, they 

 will at least prove superior for surplus honey. 

 For raising queens and building up colonies, I 

 doubt if any thing can excel Mr. Gallup' s form 

 of hive, but unfortunately it affords poor facilities 

 for obtaining the largest yield of surplus honey. 

 And this is tlie case with all the forms of sus- 

 pended frame hives. I feel confident that frames 

 so arranged as to be independent of an outer case 

 for their support, will in some form be adopted 

 into general use, sooner or later. There are two 

 faults which all loose frames have, one of which 

 seems to be irremediable. The first objection is 

 their want of stability, being unfit for transpor- 

 tation ; the other is, the vacant or unoccupied 

 space around the combs — not because the circu- 

 lation of air is detrimental, but because it affords 



