THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



33 



The Bay State bee-hive. 



In response to a large nnuiber of inquiries ra- 

 ce! veil from llie reaileis of the API for a descrip- 

 tion of the Bay State beehive, we herewith give a 

 brief outline o"f tlie hive. Tlie frame (clOiieiV-end) 

 wliicli is used in tliis hive is the simplest in con- 

 struction of any brood-frame; yet, when jH-operly 

 nailed, that is, wli n long brads are used to nail 

 the ends of the frame to the bottom and top bars, 

 it is one of the niost substantial brood-frames in 

 use. A nailing-block should always be used to 

 put such frames together, as then each frame will 

 be the exact duplicate of another. 



The frame is a standing, or closed-end, frame, 

 and is also a reversilile frame, either singly, or 

 the entire eight frames which foims the brood- 

 chamber may be reversed in a body. 



The bottom-board, fig. 1, is very substantial and 

 one of the best and most convenient baseboards 

 used about any bee-hive. The fnimes rest, or 

 stand, on strips G G. E E is the entrance, and tlie 

 bees pass to the hive under the strip G, located be- 

 tween E and E. The entire brood-chamber rests 

 upon strips G G and E E. There is a space un 



c,i;i|!.- 



Fig. 1. 



der the frames of 9-l(i of an inch being .sufBcient 

 room for perfect ventilation in winter or summer 

 and for dead bees and dirt in winter. 



Fig. 2 represents the bottom-board, brood-cham- 

 ber and one section-case IVom which the side- 

 boards have been removed, thus exposing the 

 interior of the brood-nest and also the four outside 

 sections in ihe case. C C C are four sections, 

 and also represent one of the separators, which 

 are used between each row of sections. The 

 frames are held firmly in place by the two iron 



case are held together by an iron rod which runs 

 througli the centre of the case as sh^wn in the 

 illustration. All the twenty -four sections may 

 be jnit on or removed from the hive in a body 

 at one time or, if desirable, the rod can be re- 

 moved and anyone of the broad-frames taken out 

 singly. The case is also reversible which is an 

 important feature in any hive. I know of no way 

 by wiiich the sections can be filled without pop- 

 holes, and fastened so nicely on all sides the sec- 

 ti(ni as by reversing the sections at the proper 

 time. Now this can be done so quickly and qui- 

 etly with this section case that there is "little or no 

 disturbance to the bees. There is just a bee- 

 space (three-sixteenths of an inch) between the 

 section-case and the t()))-bar of the brood-frames; 

 and the bees build no brace combs between nor 

 between the top-bars of the fraiues. Another 

 point which can be claimed for no oilier hive is 

 the tact that the queen has never been known to en- 

 ter and deposit any eggs in any sections used on the 

 liay State Hive, and no qneen-excluder is used. 

 Call the same be said of any other hive ? The sec- 

 tion cases can be tiered as high as is practical. 

 We have tiered them successfully as high as four 

 cases , at one lime. When a new set of sections 

 is added, the one put on lirst is reversed and the 

 new case placed directly on the frames, thus 

 bringing the empty sections the nearest to the 

 brood-nest. There is no hive in use whereby 

 the sections can be placed so near the brood 

 as can be done in the Bay State Hive. The ex- 

 perienced beekeeper will appreciate this last men- 

 tioned advantage. 



As a winter-hive, the Bay State has no equal; 

 as a hive to bring bees to the swarming point 

 earlj- in the season (and this means profit to the 

 beekeeper, as no colony of bees is ready for bus- 

 iness that is not in a condition to swarm so far as 

 point of number is coiiceriie<l) the Bay State 

 stanils first among the hundreds of different 

 styles of hives now in use. 



Fig. 3, in which is represented the Swarm liiver 

 and two Bay State hives, shows the hive ready 

 for winter with the outside case on. There is a 

 space of nearly two inches between the winter 

 (•ase and the brood-chamber. This siiac^e in the 

 fall may be filled with chafl", or other heat-re- 



FiG. '2. 

 rods B D which pass through tlie side-boards of 

 the brood-chamber, thus clamping the frames 

 solidly together when the thumb nuts are set up. 

 When necessary to move a colony of bees in one 

 ol the Bay State hives there are no frames to nail 

 nor can the frames get out. of place while a colony 

 of bees is being transported. The section-case is 

 composed of six broatl-lrames; each holding four 

 one-pound sections, or twenty-four sections to 

 the case. A wooden separator is used between 

 each two frames or to each eight sections. Like 

 the brood-uest, the six broad-frames of the section 



Fig 3. 

 tainiiig material. We never pack in the fall. .Just 

 as the bees commence to carry pollen in in the 

 spring is the proper time, in our opinion, to jiack 

 a colony to secure the best results. A heavy 

 duck mat and a cushion si.K inches thick, filled 

 with chair, or hay cut to length of about two 

 inches, is all the winter-packing a colony needs to 

 be wintered well in the Bay State Hive. 



The B.iy State Hive weighs, all complete, but 

 thirty-five pounds. Anyone can lift them about 

 bees, stores and all, with ease. 



We claim for this hive all the following desir- 

 able features: 



Simplicity in construction. 



When necessary to remove or ship a colony of 

 bees, the frames need no nailing, and no hivecjin 

 be more perfectly ventilated when packed for 

 shipment. 



Contraction is equally easy for any number of 

 frames. Bees can be confined to "one comb if 

 desirable. 



