1891 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



957 



Now, when we come to change the length of 

 the standard top-bar, we confront a big difficul- 

 ty. The new fi'ames would drop down at one 

 end in the old hives with the wide rabbet; and 

 old frames already in use would not go into the 

 new hives with the narrow rabbet. Such a 

 change would make "everlasting rows" with 

 bee-keepers. In fact, it is utterly out of the 

 question to shorten the Ijangstroth top-bar in 

 order to get the advantage of a Hoffman top- 

 bar. Well, as hinted, thfre was another way 

 in which we could get around the difficulty, 

 and that was to leave the top- bar the same 

 length as it is, and use a tin rabbet, the purpose 

 of the latter being to prevent the killing of bees 

 and at the same time secure a more perfect 

 lateral movement of the frames. The only 

 purpose of having the Hoffman top-bar wider 

 at the top is to prevent bees from putting 

 chunks of propolis between the straight top- 

 bars ill wood I'abljets: but by using the tin 

 rabbet of the improved pattern, we solved the 

 dilticulty. 



The improved Hoffman frame will therefore 

 go in old L. hives as well as in new ones; and 

 while it can be used on old wood rabbets, it is 

 very much better to use it on tin bearings. 

 The new top-l)ar is more cheaply made; and, 

 besides, it is exactly like the top-bar used in 

 the loose frame previously described. The bot- 

 tom-bar is likewise made the same. The end- 

 bar is a true Hoffman, the top lieing mortised 

 out to I'eceive the top-bar, and the t-dge being 

 brought to a V point. This renders compres- 

 sion unnecessary, and at the same time reduces 

 bee-killing, even by careless bee-keefjers, to a 

 number hardly worth considering. How the 

 end-bars come in contact is shown more exactly 

 in the accompanying engraving. 



something that will not bend over and be 

 creasing into the top-bars, thus preventing 

 smooth and easy lateral movement of the 



"ENI.AKGED VIIOW OF THE NEW HOFFMAN 

 FRAME. 



One side, it is to be observed, is square, while 

 the other is brought to a V point. In nailing 

 these frames together, if you will always observe 

 to put them up the same way — that is. the V 

 ■edge toward you, and next to your left hand 

 while you are holding the frame — you will 

 never have any trouble by the V edges coming 

 together. The following diagram shows just 

 how they should be. This is the way we nail 

 ■our frames, and the way everybody else should 

 do, in order to avoid confusion. 



The improved Hoffman can also be made for 

 less money. While the old one sold for the L. 

 hive for *2.00 per 100 at retail, the new ones cost 

 •only $1.70, or :-'0 cts. more than the loose frames. 



You will notice that we have dispensed with 

 the old knife-edge finger-cutting tin rabbet. 

 We have made one a great deal stronger — 



L>IAUKAM SHOWING A TOP VIEW OF HOFFMAN 

 FRAMES. 



frames. The next cut is self-explanatory. Now 

 there are some very bad propolizers that will 

 hll a rabbet level full of propolis in eight or ten 

 years. Well, this is a rabbet that can lie clean- 

 ed out with a sharp instrument and not bend 

 Its edges over; but with most bees— certainly 

 with all pure Italians— there will be no trouble 

 froni propolis being accumulated to any extent 

 in the rabbet, even in years. 



OUR IMPROVED TIN RAI5BET. 



The new HofPman frame has all the stability 

 and convenience for moving that the old one 

 does; and. besides, it has some features peculiar 

 to itself. In fact, the frame is so much ahead 

 of the old loose frame that we have decided, 

 even though it costs a little more, to put it in 

 all otir hives. It is certainly better for begin- 

 ners, because it will give them straight combs, 

 and show just how far to space the frames. 

 Old bee-keepers— in fact, all— have the option 

 of choosing the loose or any other frame. This 

 decision has been further strengthened by the 

 fact that the Hoffman frame seems to be gent'.r- 

 ally elected in the orders a few weeks back for 

 next season's goods. 



HASTY' S APIARY. 



AN EXPLANATION OF THE CUT ON P. U14. DEC. 1. 



]Many thanks to Rambler and Gi.f.anings for 

 dealing so kindly with my apiary. The camera, 

 although sometimes provokingly truthful, will 

 occasionally tell little fibs in the interest of po- 

 liteness, just the sami^ as other folks. When it 

 feels like it, it will report a misc<'ilaneous h<'ap 

 of traps and rubbish, which really looks " like 

 sin." as nu-rely picturesque, and almost "' a 

 thing of beauty." Witness the right foreground 

 in this photo. 



When we look at apiary views we almost al- 

 ways feel vexed more or les^s because we can not 

 be informed what this. that, and the other 

 thing is, and what it is for. Although the ex- 



