THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



191 



[For Ihe American Cee Journal.] 



Objections to frames being placed 

 equal distances from, each other 

 in movable Comb Hives, 

 considered. 



at 



Mr. Editou : — lu the Bee Journal, vol. 5, 

 page 58, it is stated that "adjusting the frames 

 lirmly at equal distances from each other, is a 

 decidedly objectionable plan, and certainly a 

 retrograde movement in bee culture. It was 

 used, fully tested, and abandoned years ago." 



I cannot possibly concur with the above, and 

 though Langstroth says; "you will soou get 

 tired of frames in notches," yet such has not 

 been my experience. It appears from the above 

 that, long ago, it was thought desirable that 

 frames should be fixed at equal distances from 

 each other. Is it not just as desirable now ? 

 But it is said that "it was fully tested and aban- 

 doned years ago." But is not tliis an age of 

 improvement V May not hives differently con- 

 structed from those in use ja'ars ago, admit of 

 the frames being laterally a fixture? We will 

 consider the two principal objections to this 

 plan. First, it is claimed that frames so fixed 

 will not admit of lateral movement ; hence they 

 cannot be pushed together for the purpose of 

 removing anj' desired frame. Second, it is 

 claimed that, on account of the irregular shape 

 or uneven sides of combs, they cannot conveni- 

 ently be exchanged wiiere frames are fixtures, 

 as one comb would crowd ujwu another. Now, 

 Mr. Editor, I claim that these objections arise 

 from the use of hives which are not properly 

 constructed. In other words, in properly con- 

 structed hives, the frames may be fixed, and 

 still admit of a lateral movement, and being ex- 

 changed, when filled with comb, without diffi- 

 culty. Now, if hives can be so constructed, 

 and in their construction lose none of the ad- 

 vantages now given by the best frame hives, 

 would they be ol)jectionable — a retrograde move- 

 ment in bee culture ? I think not. In 18G4, I 

 invented and patented a hive, the frames of 

 which are fixed at equal distances from each 

 other, and yet they admit of both a lateral and 

 a vertical movement, with far less difficulty than 

 5¥ny other hive with which 1 am acquainted (and 

 that is not a few). And the annoyance to bees 

 is so much less than with the Langstroth and 

 other hives, that some who have adopted the hive, 

 have written me that thej'- were no longer trou- 

 bled with stings when operating with their bees. 

 That is almost as good as Flander;^ "bee charm." 

 Neither do I find any difficulty in exchanging 

 cards of comb — often doing so every day in the 

 week, if I think it is required. I practice artifi- 

 cial swarming; strengthen weak stocks, by ex- 

 changing cards of comb with stronger ones ; 

 build up stocks for shipping ; in fact exchange 

 the combs in any way that they may be exchan- 

 ged in the Langstroth or any other hive; doing so 

 for the last four years, and instead of being tired 

 of "frames in notches," I would not have them 

 otherwise on any account. But it must be un- 

 derstood that combs made in my hive, will, as 

 a whole, be far less crooked and waving than i 



when made in hives that are long from front to 

 rear. Tiiis is easily explained. The shorter 

 the top piece of tlic comb frame, the more even 

 and straight will be the comb, as the bees al- 

 ways commence to build at less points on a 

 short top piece than on a long one. I have 

 known bees to conuncnce at four dilFerent points 

 to build on a frame in a Langstroth and other 

 hives that are long from front to rear ; wliereas 

 on a frame that tlie top piece is only about 

 twelve or thirteen inches long, they will s(Odoni 

 commence at over two points, and freciucntly at 

 only one; and hence the bees are more likely to 

 build straight. I would not however speak dis- 

 paragingly of a Langstroth hive, as I consider 

 it better than at least two-tiiirds of the modern 

 patent frame hives. Yet it Avill not admit of 

 frames being fixed, neither will it secure as 

 straight comhs as a hive shorter from front to 

 rear, unless elevated, which amounts to the 

 some thing as shortening the frames. I use a 

 top piece made like the letter V. I never use 

 guide-combs, could not be bothered with them ; 

 and the combs are so straight and even that 

 practically there is no difficulty in exchanging 

 them, though the frames are firmly adjusted at 

 equal distancss from each other. Furthermore 

 I pledge myself to examine the bees in three of 

 my hives, removing any comb, and with less 

 annoyance to the bees, in the same length of 

 time that it will take to examine, in a similajf 

 manner, two hives of any other construction. 



J. H. Thomas. 

 Brooklin, Ontario. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Explanation. 



Editor Bee Journal : — I perceive that 1 

 am called upon for explanation, or reconciliation 

 of things said in my book and circular. 



A. li. K., on page 137, Bke Jourlal, vol. 3, 

 calls for more light, &c. 



On page 311 of Bee-keeping Explained, I 

 spoke of "Early Red or June Clover," as fre- 

 quented by the Italians or hybrids, during the 

 first few mouths of my acquaintance with them. 

 In my circular of 1867, in enumerating their 

 good qualities, as stated Ijy others, I said — "AVill 

 work on second or seed crop of red clover, when 

 other sources of honey are not abundant." I 

 then remarked — "I have no opportunity to see 

 them work on red clover, so little is raised in 

 this vicinit3^" Here is where I am at fault, in 

 omitting to use again, in the last paragraph, the 

 words " second or seed crop." Had not my at- 

 tention been called to this subject, I would not 

 have noticed that the words were not there. I 

 see in the circular of the year previous, it reads : 

 "I have no op])ortunity to see them work on 

 red clover, so little seed clover is raised in this 

 vicinity." 



There are many varieties of red clover, differ- 

 ing materially in the secretion of honey. Some 

 secrete honey at one time, and not at another. 

 If Mr. K. will observe closely, he will find even 

 white clover varying from a plenteous yield to 

 none at all. M. Quinbt. 



St. Johksyille, N. Y. 



