1891 



GLEANINGS IX B,EE CULTUflE. 



213 



'• I do not know of anybody now wlio uses tliem 

 to any extent. Tlie only objection is. they are 

 out of' the beaten track." Why are they out of 

 the beaten track, and not in genera! use. or not 

 the standard? Simply because supply-dealers 

 and bee-journals don't puff them, thafs all. 

 I can count at h^ast ten bee-keepers who do 

 use them, and like them too, and scores who 

 would use them exclusively if they were adver- 

 tised foi- sale. I have at present 50 colonies on 

 Langstroth combs, and 125 on the crosswise 

 frame. I know, by years of practice with both 

 sizes of frames, which is best for all purposes, 

 and I wish you had introduced your new hive 

 with the crosswise closed-end or Hoffman 

 frame, and bi-eak away from the beaten track 

 for something better. 



This is an age of improvements, j'ou know. 

 Ernest speaks favorably of Mr. Manum"s 

 frames noL sagging. Not half of the large 

 honey-producers here in the basswood region of 

 Wisconsin use the long Langstroth frame; and 

 Wisconsin, you know, comes to the front in 

 honey production. 



I could say much more in favor of adopting 

 the crosswise Langstroth frame, and also show 

 indisputable I'easons why the long frame is not 

 as good. I have no ax to grind. I am only a 

 practical bee-keeper, and not a supply-dealer or 

 hive-maker, except for my own use. But. let 

 us still be progressive in hives as well as in all 

 else pertaining to bee culture. 



Orion, Wis.. Feb. 33. AV. T. Stp:wa]:t. 



[I wish there were more contrary people who 

 would speak out their mind as good naturedly 

 as you do. You have given us some excellent 

 reasons why the L. frame is the standard: but 

 you have not named them all. No doubt, for 

 your locality and other places of a similar na- 

 ture, the crosswise L. frame is better: but don't 

 forget that localities differ. I know, that is, I 

 think, there are places where the Quinby frame 

 gives better results. I am also of the opinion 

 that the fixed frames are adapted for most lo- 

 calities, but there are some places wheie they 

 would not answer as well as the loose frame. 

 There is a good deal of twaddle about localities 

 making a difference in results; but when we 

 come to talk about the size of frames, there is 

 some sense about it. 



Father Langstroth. years ago, experimented 

 with a great many different sizes, and finally 

 settled upon one in use by bee-keepers genei-al- 

 ly. The trouble with the crosswise fi'ame is. 

 that it does not hold comb enough to suit most 

 bee-keepers. We want a comb not too deep. 

 but one that gives plenty of brood-rearing sur- 

 face, and that we get in "the L. size. 



With your ci-osswise frame you are obliged to 

 handle 13 instead of 10, as in an oi'dinary ten- 

 frame Langstroth body. There is quite a little 

 difference you see. 



One gi-eat reason why the L. frame is so gen- 

 erally accepted is because it is a compromise 

 between the very shallow and very deep 

 frames, and because, lor most localities and 

 most bee-keepers, it gives good results. 



You overlook one very important fact. If 

 the time has not already come it has almost, 

 when over half of the hives in use will be eight- 

 frame instead of ten-frame: so that the eight- 

 frame people could not use the crosswise, even 

 if they chose to do so: that is, the cross- 

 wise, if used at all. would have to be shortened 

 ^then what? there would be another frame. 



Still another thing: We have had scores of 

 testimonials to the effect that bees would gather 

 about as much honey, and do about as well on 

 the L. size as on any other, and that with com- 

 parative tests. But there are exceptions to all 

 rules. In this case, take, for instance, that of 



the Dadants. Instead of using a svutUer frame 

 than the Langstrotii. they want a larger one—* 

 the Quinby. And they say they have made 

 comparative tests to prove the superioiity of 

 the larger frame. Now you call for a stnaller 

 one. Don't you think that the L. frame is a 

 very nice compromise between the e.Ktremes, for 

 most people? 



Y'ou say no wiring is needed for crosswise 

 frames. Thei-e are very few who wiU agree 

 with you on this point: that is. those who have 

 tried wiring and not wiring. A ciosswise frame 

 needs wiring, else why do so many use wire for 

 square fi'ames? It is true, that a shorter top- 

 bar would be less liable to sag. but we compen- 

 sate for that in the longer L. by making them 

 %" thick now. 



Perhaps two-thii-ds of those using other than 

 the L. frames would be glad to use a standard 

 size if they could make the change without ex- 

 pense. Why? Because, from the few compar- 

 ative tests they have made they get just as 

 good results from one fi-ame as another. 



I do not overlook the fact that you represent 

 your own locality. You want a smaller frame. 

 The Dadants represent their locality, and they 

 want a larger frame. The fact can not be de- 

 nied, that bee-keepej's ought to have a stan- 

 dard, and that that standard ought to be the 

 one that most bee-keepers will agree upon, and 

 that is the Langstroth frame. The standard 

 in England is the crosswise L., or very nearly 

 that: but that is not this country. I "think I 

 can join hands with you in regard to the closed- 

 ends: but when you advise changing the size of 

 the standaid, vou will encounter a bigger job 

 than you think for.] E^. R. R. 



THE NONPAREIL BEE-HI'TE. 



Dl{. TIXKEK P:XPL.\INS HIS HIVf:. 



The engraving for the accompanying illus- 

 tration was made four years ago. since which 

 time the cover of the hive has been improved 

 by making a square framework, similar to that 

 of the Simplicity hive, and covered with sheet 

 roofing steel, made here in New Philadelphia. 

 An improved clasp of malleable iron, similar to 

 the Van Deusen clamp, has been made to secure 



the removable side of tlie section super. Other- 

 wise, the liive as now made is the same as the 

 original. Where the hive is to be set into a 

 winter case in the fall for winter, a very cheap 

 cover and bottom for temporary use has been 

 devi.sed for all increase during the working sea- 

 son. In tills locality, and further south, the 

 hive in two stories will winter as safelv as in 



