THE AMERICAN APIGULTURIST. 



275 



rule should be followed by the begin- 

 ner, for the reason that fully as much 

 depends upon the choice of hive as 

 upon any other one thing connected 

 with the business. In choosing a 

 hive I need not say that movable 

 frames are indispensable ; as it is now 

 well known that no others can give 

 even fair results. In the choice of 

 frame, regard should be had to the 

 condition and surroundings of one's 

 locality, and the purposes which one 

 has in view, viz., gathering surplus 

 comb or extracted honey. A hive 

 should be constructed as plainly and 

 simply as possible, and as few " con- 

 traptions " as necessity alone requires 

 should accompany it. A plain box 

 with rabbets for the frames to rest 

 upon is aU that is needed or re- 

 quired, and any expense made be- 

 yond that point is so much money 

 thrown away or simply expended 

 for mere looks. The construction 

 of the hive should merely be such 

 that it will accommodate the style 

 and size of frames decided upon ; 

 and I will say right here in the most 

 imperative manner, that but one 

 size and style of frame should be tol- 

 erated in a given apiary. As upon 

 the frames depends the whole meas- 

 ure of success or otherwise, they 

 should be constructed with the great- 

 est care, and as nearly mathemati- 

 cally exact as is possible, so that they 

 may be interchangeable not only in 

 a given hive, but with the frames of 

 every hive in use. The necessity of 

 this if not seen now by the novice, 

 will be at once appreciated the mo- 

 ment he begins practical work. In the 

 choice of hive it should be borne in 

 mind that good results can be ob- 



tained from any of the frame hives 

 in common use, but that some of 

 them are more in use than others, 

 and of course it follows that those 

 are the most valuable, that have 

 the largest endorsement of beekeep- 

 ers of experience by their use of them. 

 Probably the praise given to the 

 different forms of frames is so 

 given because their owners have be- 

 come accustomed to using them, and 

 don't care to change ; but it is prob- 

 able also, that had they chosen a dif- 

 ferent form at the start, they would 

 have given that form the same praise. 

 For myself, I have for years used 

 the " L" frame so called, and have 

 found that " it fills the bill " far bet- 

 ter than any other ; and I have given 

 nearly all a fair and thorough trial. 

 I do not propose here to advertise 

 any form of frame, however, but 

 leave its selection to the choice of 

 each individual. While movable 

 frames will allow of their being taken 

 out of the hive and examined at any 

 time, it is not advisable, save for 

 the purpose of gaining manual dex- 

 terity in manipulation, to examine a 

 hive unless for a special purpose. A 

 colony of bees cannot, it will be seen 

 at once, be pulled over, taken out 

 and returned, without creating con- 

 siderable disturbance, and such dis- 

 turbance ean be but detrimental to 

 the working of that colony. 



The rule to follow then should be 

 never to open a hive unless with 

 some special object in view. If it is 

 desired to show friends or visitors 

 the ease with which bees can be op- 

 erated upon, it will be well to devote 

 one colony to that particular pur- 

 pose ; by this means the minimum of 



