CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMES. 



43 



FIG. 26. Lock -joint chaff hi ve. (From Gleanings in Bee 

 Culture.) 



mentioned one. Each side bar can then be nailed by one nail driven 

 from above through the top bar, and two driven through the side bar 

 itself into the end of the top 

 bar. The bottom bar can then 

 be nailed on, or, better still, 

 cut short enough to permit it 

 to be inserted between the 

 side bars, the nails holding it 

 to be driven through the lat- 

 ter. Nailing frames loosely 

 or without getting them ex- 

 actly in true brings with it 

 great disadvantages. If only 

 slightly out of shape they may 

 swing together at the bottom 

 or touch the sidesof the hive, 

 and in either case will be 

 glued fa st by the bees ; also in 

 the first instance the combs, 

 which are always built per- 

 pendicularly, w r ill not be wholly within the frames. To avoid these 

 troubles it is essential, first, that the parts for the frames be cut very 

 accurately; second, that the frame be in exact shape at the time of 

 nailing; and third, that the nails be driven in quite firmly; long, slen- 

 der, flat-headed wire nails being necessary to secure proper stiffness of 

 the frame. Kails 1J to 1| inches long made of No. 1G or No, 17 wire, or 

 4d. fine wire nails are the right size. Nailing in a form, such as is shown 



Greater ease in withdrawing the 

 frames from the hive is secured by 

 making the bottom of the frame 

 one-fourth inch less in width than 

 the upper part. A round-headed 

 nail or a curved wire- staple driven 

 through the side bar at each lower 

 corner into the end of the bottom 

 bar and left projecting one-fourth 

 inch will also facilitate the removal 

 of frames and their insertion in 



Flo. 27. Manner of nailing hives. (Original.) , . f 



the hive without the crushing of 

 bees, and hence allow more rapid manipulation. (Fig. 24, pn.) 



The hive to hold the frames should be the plainest kind of a box, the 

 frames resting on rabbets made in the tipper edges. Constructing it 

 with lock joints, as shown in fig. 20, or by halving together the ends 

 of the boards, as in fig. 27, and, in either case, nailing in both direc- 

 tions makes a strong hive body. The latter may be single- walled for 

 mild climates or where cellar wintering is practiced; but for severe 

 regions it is advisable to have permanent double walls with the inter- 



by fig. 25, is therefore advisable. 



