MAY 15, 1914 



the hive with the bent tin turned toward the 

 brood-chamber. The object of tMs is to 

 allow the bees free access from the entrance 

 direct to rear of the hive beneath the di- 

 vision-board; but in case the queen should 

 come in contact with it she will walk down 

 until she comes to the tin, which will turn 

 her back to the combs. 



This division-board, although not design- 

 ed'by me, I consider an important feature 

 of the hive. Sometimes, as in case of a 

 virgin queen i-eturning from her wedding- 

 flight, or by the excessive use of smoke over 

 the brood-chamber, a queen will find her 

 way to the rear of the hive ; but care should 

 be taken to provide a young laying queen. 



The bottom and alighting-board are re- 

 movable, and the summer entrance, yg x 14, 

 or the full width of the ten frames, is closed 

 for winter with a block, E, through which 

 wire nails are driven % inch apart as pro- 

 tection from mice. 



Some points in favor of this hive are 

 simplicity and cheapness of constrnction ; 

 easily built by any one at all familiar with 

 tools; no paint; provides plenty of room so 

 that three or four visits during the season 

 are all that is required; and the protection 

 it affords for wintering. 



It has always been an opinion of mine 

 that bees produce wax at all times when 

 producing honey, and that this wax, unless 



they have a place to use it, must necessarily 

 go to waste; that they will produce both 

 much faster when alloAved to hang in their 

 natural clusters. Taking advantage of this 

 fact, only narrow starters are used in the 

 15 frames for surplus honey; and as these 

 frames are all in one lower story they are 

 accepted one at a time, and for that I'eason 

 will be finished much quicker than if the 

 bees had to go above. 



These fifteen frames, holding, when com- 

 pleted, about 90 pounds with 64 sections in 

 the two supers above, give the hive a capac- 

 ity of about 150 pounds, or sufficient, usu- 

 ally, for the season in this section. 



The season's work is commenced during 

 April. The chaff trays are removed, the 

 chaff division-boards that are used during 



C^ArrU^, w, 



