28 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Fl<) 12 



■with larger frames). 

 The Vienna hive differs 

 little from the former. 

 The Swiss hive has wid- 

 er frames, etc. 



This general princi- 

 ple (operation from the 

 back and with transver- 

 sal frames) is maintain- 

 ed in some other kinds 

 of hives which differ 

 more or less in other 

 points. For example, 

 the Alsatian hive (only 

 one story, with special 

 super to be put on top ; 

 the Suabian hive (tAvo 

 stories) ; the Thuringi- 

 an hive, modified by 

 Rev. Mr. Gerstung, can 

 be manipulated from 

 the top, etc. 



However, contrary to 

 the opinion of many beekeejoers, some breth- 

 ren of the fraternity found it an inconven- 

 ience to have the frames transversal with 

 the opening, which idea, many years ago. 

 gave birth to a new hive system usually 

 called "page hive" (blaetterstoek), as the 

 frames are exposed from the side like the 

 pages of a book, when opening the door at 

 the rear. Thus the position of the frames 

 is the same as in the American hive, but are 

 supported at the hive bottom by two or three 

 transversal iron bars. Fig. 7 gives a i-epre- 

 sentative of this group, the Alberti hive, 

 with the door removed. Staples that regulate 

 the space between frames and between 

 frames and front wall are driven into the 

 latter. Corresponding staples are also driv- 

 en into the door or a separate frameAVork 

 (with glass or canvas serving as a window) 

 that must be put in place before closing the 

 hive. Queen-excluder, division-board, etc., 

 adapted to the construction, facilitate the 

 mianagement. A modification is the Dadant- 

 Alberti hive (improved by the Swiss Rev. 

 Mr. Streuli (frames wider than high). The 

 Spuehler hive and the Reidenbach hive are 

 other forms that belong to this group. 



The American hives, or similar styles, are 

 also known, and the new edition of a well- 

 established treatise on beekeeping says, 



Bee-house designed by Rev. Gerstung. 



" The American system has found of late 

 many followers also among our beekeep- 

 ers." Undoubtedly this would be the case 

 to a much greater extent if it were not for 

 the fact that the traditional bee-house in- 

 feres somewhat Avith the operation of the 

 American hive. 



With the hives described, their long list is 

 by no means exhausted; but they represent 

 at least the most typical and important 

 ones in use noAv. But why this diversity of 

 hives? Amateurship has surely contributed 

 a good deal to it; but it is also a vivid 

 proof of the existence of a progressive bee- 

 keeper's spirit. 



In France the liives with manipulation 

 from the side are unknoAvn, the most popu- 

 lar modern hive being there the Dadant- 

 Blatt. In arrangement it is almost identical 

 with the American hive except the size of 

 frames (12 frames 10% inches high, and 

 1617/32 long). Efforts have also been 

 made to introduce among farmers the eco- 

 nomical one-story hive invented by de Lay- 

 ens, a form of the Long Idea hive known 

 in America, with 20 frames 121^4 in. high 

 and 14 9/16 long. It is made single-walled, 

 back and front, sides covered with a straw 

 mat, Fig. 8. 



Basel, Switzerland. 



NOTES FROM GERMANY 



BY J. A. HEBERLE, B.S. 



CROP AND MARKET. 



The honey crop in Germany this year is 

 good to very good. I have not had a crop 

 like it since 1905. The demand for honey 



at a good price is equal to that in years 

 Avith a short crop. In part, at least, this is 

 due to the fact that no honey (or but little) 

 is coming from Cuba and South America. 



