1899 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



97 



frame or section-holder arrangement to a T 

 super. — Ed.] 



THICKNESS OF TOP-BARS FOR SHAUOW 

 FRAMES. 



How is foundation fastened to the shallow 

 extracting - frames, as they have no comb- 

 guides ? Would it not be better to make their 

 top-bars the same as fcr the full depth ? 



John B. Addison. 



Washougal, Wash., Dec. 17. 



[We advise every one to wire all his 

 frames. Shallow extracting - frames can be 

 wired horizontally or perpendicularly, ac- 

 cording to the taste of the bee-keeper ; but 

 horizontal wiring is simpler and just as good. 

 When frames are wired, the matter of fasten- 

 ing foundation is a simple one, providing 

 one horizontal wire is put near the top- 

 bar. If for any reason one does not care to 

 wire, he can use the Hambaugh roller, espe- 

 cially designed for fastening foundation to 

 top-bars flat on the under side. 



Why do we not make top-bars for shallow 

 frames thick ? For the reason that the frames 

 are already shallow, and the thickness of the 

 top bar consumes too much of the relative 

 space for the comb in the frame. In shallow 

 frames the top-bars do not need to be as thick 

 as with deep ones, for the reason there is less 

 load for the bar to support, and hence little or 

 no sagging. One object of a thick top-bar is to 

 prevent sagging. In order to keep down burr- 

 combs it is absolutely necessary to preserve 

 bee-spaces. The shallow bar with the deep 

 frame will sag, and consequently the bee- 

 space will be enlarged just enough to encour- 

 age the building of burr-combs. — Ed.] 



SIZE AND CONSTRUCTION OF HIVES LARGELY 

 A MATTER OF LOCALITY. 



Once I thought I was satisfied that I had 

 the best hive with a hanging frame, ten to a 

 hive and eight to a hive. The frames were 11 

 ^xl5, or a square foot of comb. I used both 

 sizes of these hives for 30 years. I like the 

 ten-frame best, but seldom use more than 

 eight combs in the time of gathering box hon- 

 ey. But for the past few years I have been 

 using 100 or more hives with Hoffman frames, 

 same size, only 2 inches lower, with equally 

 good results. But they want more time and 

 attention. I am also using 100 or more of the 

 Ouinby - Hetherington standing-frame hives, 

 and I must say I do not wonder that so many 

 differ in the size and kind of hive they use, 

 for it depends on locality. It depends on 

 whether we want extracted or box honey, or 

 whether we want one all-purpose hive ; and it 

 depends very much on the amount of work 

 and skillful attention we want to give our bees. 

 What kind of hive is best for us to use ? I 

 should be glad to have uniform hives, but I 

 fear we shall not get to this ; but we should 

 have uniform sections and shipping-cases for 

 our honey. It would be to the interest of all. 

 A hive is a good deal like a wagon. I once 

 thought I wanted a spring wagon for all pur- 

 poses to carry about 1500 lbs. I have found I 

 was mistaken. I now use a wagon that will 



carry 1000 lbs.; and the next wagon will carry 

 2000 lbs. or more. The 15001b. wagon was 

 either too small or too large, and so it is with 

 a hive. I feel that, to carry out all of my 

 plans, I must have two sizes of brood-combs ; 

 but want the hives all to take the same kind 

 of surplus clamps for box honey. As I use 

 two clamps to cover a hive, I prefer a hive so 

 nearly square that it can be used either way, 

 or that only one half of a hive may be used 

 for brood, and one clamp cover them when 

 desired. 



I can appreciate Dadant's writing about his 

 big hive, and can indorse the most he says. 

 But I don't like his large frames. I used them 

 in the first frame hive I ever used. They win- 

 ter well, and give strong swarms, etc. ; but to 

 handle the frames all day it wants a strong 

 man; and they are bad combs to break down 

 while moving over our rough roads on a wag- 

 on. I run my bees from a wagon or a sleigh 

 down a plank shute into a cellar. A man in 

 the cellar takes care of them there while the 

 team and man go to the yard after another 

 load. I want hives and combs secure — no 

 bees getting out until all are in the cellar. 



Middleburgh, N. Y. N. D. West. 



THE ROOT CO. AND THEIR NEW FIXINGS. 



I see some one has called your attention to 

 the thickness of the one piece section. I 

 should like it if sections were made y& inch 

 thick at least, or if we could get them so to 

 order. I have wondered if the four-piece sec- 

 tion is any thicker than the one-piece ones. 



In regard to the fence, I should like to have 

 the edges beveled off the posts ; but the bevel 

 should be very slight, as the posts are very 

 nearly right as they are. I think the slats 

 should be all of the same thickness, say ^g in. 

 I do not think the space at top of fence should 

 be more than a good bee-space — that is, not 

 quite % inch — say y^. I think that the very 

 best fence could be made of three slats ; but 

 of course you could not work the material in 

 quite so well. I saw cuts of the Hyde Scholl 

 fences in the Progressive. I think they are a 

 toy affair, fit only for men who want to keep 

 bees for pleasure and not for profit. I am well 

 pleased with the new fence, and would not go 

 back to the old separators for any money. 



A great deal has been said against your and 

 every other supply-house for putting new fix- 

 ings upon the market ; and some of the great 

 lights in bee-keeping have stood in the market- 

 place to warn us youngsters not to purchase 

 any new hives, fences, plain sections, etc. ; or 

 if we felt that we must buy, to do so sparing- 

 ly — just as if the supply-dealers were crazy, 

 and were trying to beat us out of our money. 

 I sometimes wonder whose money we are us- 

 ing, and if some of us are not old enough to 

 buy without all this guardianship. I for one 

 am proud of The A. I. Root Co. for looking 

 up new fixings in the bee-business; and I hope 

 even the most conservative of the old bee- 

 keepers will let us spend our money and try 

 the new fixings. I am not afraid of new ma- 

 chines running men out of employment, nor 

 am I afraid that I can get up honey in too at- 

 tractive a shape for the market ; and though 



