1146 



THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



FIG. 17. 



very desirable to have strong top-bars. The end pieces are ten 

 and three-fourths inches long, one inch wide, and one-fourth inch 



thick. The bottom piece is 

 eleven and one - fourth inches 

 long, one inch wide, and one- 

 eighth of an inch thick. The 

 ends of the top-bar will project 

 five-eighths of an inch, so that 

 the frames may be suspended in 

 the hive (Fig. 15). 



It is very important that the 

 frames should always be right- 

 angled, perfectly true, and all 

 absolutely alike in form and size. To secure this, they should 

 be made with a gauge. The one I use (Fig. 17) is very handy. 

 The steel spring (Fig. 17, b b) holds 

 the end-bars in place till the top-bar is 

 nailed, when it is turned upside down c , 

 and the bottom-bar tacked ; then by pull- 

 ing down on the strap (Fig. 17, a) the 

 steel spring is drawn away from the 

 frame, which can be taken out all com- 

 plete and perfect. I never use a honey-board above the frames, 

 but cover with oil-cloth, glazed surface down, in summer, and 



thick factory in winter. These 

 are cut exactly fourteen by 

 twenty-six inches. 



A division-board (Fig. 18), 

 which is the form of a frame, 

 1 and so made as to make two 

 entirely separate compartments 

 to the hive, when used is very 

 important in every hive. It en- 

 ables us to confine the space in 

 fall, winter, and spring so that the 

 bees do not have to heat the whole space. They are also impor- 

 tant to enable us to form nucleus hives, soon to be described. 



FIG. 18. 



FIG. 19. 



