AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 59 



A CHEAP FRAME HIVE. 



There are no doubt many pioneers in the back blocks 

 who would like to keep a few colonies of bees to raise 

 honey for family use, but find it beyond their means to 

 obtain hives from the manufacturers owing to the 

 heavy cost of carriage. To such I would say that a 

 very good hive of the Langstroth pattern may be made 

 out of a sound kerosene-case, which is of the same 

 dimensions inside, and takes the same number of 

 frames as the regular Langstroth. The following 

 instructions are taken from my Bulletin No. 18 : — 



" Secure a complete and sound kerosene-case, and carefully 

 knock off one of the broad sides ; nail on the original cover, 

 which will now form one of the sides. If the sides of the 

 case are not level all round, build them up level with fillets 

 of wood. The inside depth should be loin. Next nail on at 

 each end, half an inch below the inside upper edges of the 

 case, to suspend the frames from, a fillet of wood three- 

 eig-hths of an inch thick by three-quarters of an inch wide, 

 and the leng-th of the inside end of the case. The frames when 

 suspended from these should be a clear three-eighths of an 

 inch off the bottom of the hive. An entrance three-eighths 

 of an inch wide by 6in. long should be cut out of the lower 

 part of one end of the case, and a small alighting-board be 

 nailed on underneath, projecting from 2in. to 3in. in front. 

 A loose bottom board can be arranged if thought desirable. 



Top or surplus honey-boxes can be made in the same way, 

 but will not require a bottom. 



The cover can be made from the side knocked off, and 

 should have small fillets, lin. wide, nailed on right round 

 the edge, to overlap the body. Cover the top with ruberoid 

 or other waterproof material, and let it overlap the edges. 

 A capital waterproof covering can be made bv first giving 

 the wood a good coat of thick paint, and, while wet, laying 

 on open cheese-cloth (not butter-cloth), letting it overlap the 

 edges, and painting over it. The paint on the wood will 

 ooze through the cloth, and the covering will last for years 

 — no tacks are needed. Light-coloured paint is best, as 

 with this the hive will keep cooler when exposed to the sun 

 than if painted a dark colour." 



Self-spacing frames can be either purchased or made 

 on the spot in the manner detailed further on. 



