ENTOMOLOGY 403 



Out apiaries, or those located away from the main apiary, 

 should be so located that transportation will be as easy as possible. 

 The primary consideration, however, must be the available nectar 

 supply and the number of colonies of bees already near enough to 

 draw on the resources. The out apiary should also be near to some 

 friendly person, so that it may be protected against depredation and 

 so that the owner may be notified if anything goes wrong. It is 

 especially desirable to have it in the partial care of some person who 

 can hive swarms or do other similar things that may arise in an 

 emergency. The terms under which the apiary is placed on land 

 belonging to some one else is a matter for mutual agreement. There 

 is no general usage in this regard. 



Equipment in Apparatus. It must be insisted that the only 

 profitable way to keep bees is in hives with movable frames. The 

 bees build their combs in these frames, which can then be manipu- 

 lated by the bee keeper as necessary. The keeping of bees in boxes, 

 hollow logs, or straw "skeps" is not profitable, is often a menace to 

 progressive bee keepers, and should be strongly condemned. Bees 

 in box hives (plain boxes with no frames and with combs built at 

 the will of the bees) are too often seen in all parts of the country. 

 The owners may obtain from them a few pounds of inferior honey 

 a year and carelessly continue in the antiquated practice. In some 

 cases this type of bee keeping does little harm to others, but where 

 diseases of the brood are present the box hive is a serious nuisance 

 and should be abolished. 



Hives. The type of hive most generally used in this coun- 

 try was invented by Langstroth in 1851. It consists of a plain 

 wooden box holding frames hung from a rabbet at the top and not 

 touching the sides, top, or bottom. Hives of this type are made to 

 hold from eight frames upward. The size of frame in general use, 

 known as the Langstroth (or L) frame (9% by 17% inches), is 

 more widely used than all others combined. The number of frames 

 used depends on the kind of honey produced (wheth'er comb or ex- 

 tracted), and on the length of honey flow and other local factors. 

 There are other hives used which have points of superiority. These 

 will be found discussed in the various books on bee keeping and 

 in the catalogues of dealers in bee keepers' supplies. 



Whatever hive is chosen, there are certain points of importance 

 which should be insisted on. The material should be of the best; 

 the parts must be accurately made, so that all frames or hives in the 

 apiary are inter-changeable. All hives should be of the same style 

 and size ; they should be as simple as it is possible to make them to 

 facilitate operation. Simple frames diminish the amount of pro- 

 polis, which will interfere with manipulation. As a rule, it is better 

 to buy hives and frames from a manufacturer of such goods rather 

 than to try to make them, unless one is a good wood worker. 



Hive Stands. Generally it is best to have each hive on a sepa- 

 rate stand. The entrance should be lower than any other part of 

 the hive. Stands of wood, bricks, tile, concrete blocks, or any other 

 convenient material will answer the purpose. The hive should bo 



