Jan. 25, 1906 



1HE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



79 



speak of the other paper made by the same firm, a tough red 



paper called "Neponsel " This latter paper I use iii the in- 

 terior of the hive, the "Paroid" being used externally. 



A roll of "Paroid." one of "Neponset," plenty <>f assorted 

 nails, some good tack-, and a large quantity of grocer) boxes, 

 shoe-cases, and hat-cases are the materials needed to con 

 a score "i- mi in- of excellent hives — the tools required bi 



CrOSS-CUt saw (not Over -'•> inches long), a small rili-saw. a 



small plane, a try-square, a light hammer, a strong screw- 

 driver "I- old chisel, a jack-knife, and a yard stick. Let the 

 to,.]s he good ones, for il pays l- ■ use good tools. 



If one is fortunate enough to have a shop with work- 

 bench, so much the better; but good work can be done with a 

 large dry-goods box for a bench and a smaller box to do one's 

 sawing on. 



The shoe-cases, etc., are taken apart with screw-driver 

 and hammer (this hammer should be of the best grade with 

 a claw which will pull a headless nail). The grocery-be. xes 

 are not all taken apart, as some are to serve as the foundation 

 structure for hive-bodies and supers. 



Careful selection of luxes, and thorough preparation go 

 far toward assuring success in this hive-making undertaking. 

 for one may otherwise become disgusted at the beginning and 

 give up because of numerous though trifling difficulties. It is 

 tiresome — that is. slow — work constructing the first hive: but 

 one soon gets familiar with the different steps, and can turn 

 out from 3 to S hives per day. according to his skill and 

 energy. 



The numerous cereals sold nowadays furnish such a 

 variety of boxes that one ought to find just what he needs at 

 the various grocery stores After once deciding on a box he 

 should persuade the different grocers to reserve that particular 

 box for him. In this way one can get together a hundred or 

 more boxes all of a size and shape. 



The Modus Operandi. 



Select a box which is 1.'4 inches longer and Xi/x wider 

 than the inside measure of your hive-body. If just the right 

 size box cannot be had. select that which will require the least 

 cutting down. 



Remove the top and bottom of this box and cut down if 

 necessary. It is not much of a task to cut a box down. In 

 case it is too long the entire end is cut off and the end-piece 

 again nailed in place, after, of course, removing the sawed-off 

 bits of boards and the nails. If the box is too wide, one side is 

 knocked off and the two end-pieces are sawed to the right 

 length and the side again nailed in place. If the box is too 

 deep, the rip-saw quickly takes off the right amount, care being- 

 first taken that any obstructing nails are previously removed. 

 A little planing completes the task. A trifle over 5 minutes 

 will serve to cut down a box to the right size. You will then 

 have a hive-body of thinner material and longer and wider 

 than the regular hive-body. Cut out pieces of "Neponset" or 

 other good sheathing paper to fit the inside walls of this body. 

 Then get out four strips of half-inch stuff not less than one 

 inch wide, of a length equal to the inside length of the hive- 

 body. Xail these strips over the paper on the side-walls flush 

 with the top and bottom edges. Then lay two more pieces 

 of the "Neponset" over these strips. Previous to this you 



may have prepared a large number of pieces from your box- 

 board materials of a length equalling the depth of the hive- 

 body. Cover the second piece of paper with a sheathing of 

 these boards, nailing near the ends so that the nails go through 

 the strips between the papers, and with nails that will reach 

 through to lie clinched. This clinching is absolutely necessary. 

 You will then have a body with side-walls made up of 

 two thicknesses of wood, two of paper, and one dead-air 

 space. 



The ends are then to be finished like the sides, except 

 that the upper strip is lowered away from the edge and the 

 inner wall is made shorter to allow a rabbet on \s Inch ti > 

 support the frames, [f cross-wise frames are used (a much 

 better arrangement, by the way), the side-walls must be thus 

 prepared instead of the ends. 



The varying thicknesses of the box-boards used will bring 

 about .i variation in the inside measurements of the hive-bod) 

 when completed. This difficult) is easily overcome b) laying 



strips of the roofing paper on the board strips which border 

 the air-spaces, or by selecting different thicknesses when these 

 board strips are got out. If the original box is only a fraction 

 of an inch out of the way in its measurements it is not neces- 

 sary to cut it down, since the difficulty can be remedied in the 

 manner just suggested. 



At this stage of construction you will have a hive-bod) 

 of great strength and exceedingly warm and protecting in 

 character, but it itself will require protection from the ele- 

 ments. 



.You will now. measure the perimeter of the hive-body and 

 cut from the "Paroid" roll a strip which will go around this 

 body and lap 2 inches, and with a width about \ l /z inches 

 greater than the depth of the body. This strip is put on with 

 the lap-seam well cemented, and with the upper edge project- 

 ing Yz inch. This projecting edge is turned in over the edge 

 of the hive-body and tacked vertically. This turning in is to 

 allow the supers and covers to telescope on without tearing 

 down the edge of the paper. 



The lower edge will also project and will thus overlap the 

 joint between the hive-body and the bottom-board, except that 

 it is to be cut away above the entrance. Nails and tins come 

 with the rolls of paper, also a can of cement, and a row of 

 tins should be closely nailed along the edge over the entrance. 

 Two or three tins nailed along each of the remaining bottom 

 edges, and along the seam, will he all the fastening the paper 

 will require. It will naturally bulge slightly away from the 

 walls and thus furnish another air-space. 



You will observe that the hive-body has been made with- 

 out entrance, for the bottom-board will supply this. Make 

 the bottom-board from the heavier stock which is found in 

 the ends of the shoe-cases. Make it longer if you wish than 

 the hive-body, but of just the width. Along the edges above 

 nail two wedge-shaped pieces on the sides and a strip a bee- 

 space thick along the hack. The side-pieces should be an inch 

 thick in front and at the back the thickness of the back-piece. 

 When the hive is placed on this bottom there will be an en- 

 trance the width of the hive and one inch deep. All tilting 

 forward of the hive will be done away with, since the bottom 

 itself is tilted or slanting forward. The absurd custom of 

 tilting hives forward should not lie tolerated in any upright 

 bee-yard. 



For a cover one can use the cheapest and worst pieces in 

 the whole lumber-pile. He will make the cover of two thick- 

 nesses and preferably with an air-space, letting one layer of 

 boards be parallel with the sides, another parallel with the 

 ends. This cover should be made half an inch larger each 

 way than the body, and a strip should he nailed all around 

 and projecting so as to telescope over the hive-body. Then a 

 piece of "Paroid" is cut about 6 inches larger each way than 

 the cover, and this is laid over the cover, and the sides turned 

 down. All nailing is done on the sides, leaving the lop a 

 perfect roof. Such a cover is proof against wind. rain, and 

 sun. 



For a super it is best to follow the plan of the hive-body 

 except as to air-space. Leaving out the air-space will allow 

 more room for the section-case. This plan admits of the use 

 of light section-cases protected by an outer super, a method 

 entirely up-to-date. The frequent moving of the super would 

 soon destroy the paper projecting beyond the lower edge and 

 the "Paroid" strip is therefore cut narrower. Strips of wood 



