CHAPTEE IV. 



HIVES. 



The Straw Skep. 



The straw skep (fig. 4^/) is a bell-shaped hi\e made of 

 straw, in which the bees can build their combs in any way 

 they like, fastening them to the roof and 

 sides. Thus the combs cannot be taken 

 from a skep for examination, and it is 

 consequently called a " fixed comb " hive. 

 In this particular it differs greatly from 

 the "movable-comb" or "bar-frame" hive, 

 for in the latter every comb can be 

 removed for examination and returned to 

 little disturbance 



Fig. 4rt.— Straw Skep, 



Fig. '). — Bar-frame. 



the hive with 

 to the bees. 



The Bar-frame Hive- 



In the bar-frame hive each 

 separate comb is built in a frame 

 (fig. 5) like a box without top or 

 bottom. 



The British Bee-keepers' Association has fixed the size 

 of the "standard" frame at 14 inches long by 8^ inches 

 deep, the top bar 17 inches long b}^ | inch thick, the side 

 bars \ inch thick, the bottom bar -J inch thick, the top and 

 side bars J inch wide, the bottom bar | inch wide. This is 

 the frame now in general use. 



The frames hang in the body hive, the ends of the top 

 bars resting on the inner walls, a space of \ inch being 

 left between the side bars of the frames and the hive's walls. 

 Each frame should also hang | inch or \ inch clear of the 

 floor-board (fig. 6). 



