180 



THE POMOLOGIST AND GARDENER. 



1871 



uoitB on mtt mdtnxt. 



How to Make a Good and Cheap Bee-HlTe. 



By W. C. Condit, Uoward Springs, Term. 



Eds. Pomologist and Oardsner : 



I have just received the May number of the 

 Pomologist ; and reading in it the article on Bees 

 and Fruit, it occurred to me that a plain descrip- 

 tion of a good movable comb hive might be accept- 

 able to many of your readers. 



I have studied the subject of the construction of 

 bee-hives pretty thoroughly for several years, hav- 

 ing tried, in the meantime, the best patents the 

 country affords. In the March No. of the Pomol- 

 ogist, 1870, I suggested the form and general fea- 

 tures which must necessarily enter into the con 

 struction of a bee-hive, which should at the same 

 time be easy to make and easy to handle in the 

 management of the bees, and also conform to the 

 needs and instincts of the occupants. Since writing 

 the article referred to, I have made, and am now 

 using a hive con.structed in accordance with the 

 principles therein enumerated. This hive is, inside 

 measure, nineteen and one-fourth inches from front 

 to rear, twelve and three-fourths from side to side, 

 and filteen and three-fourths deep — the boards nailed 

 togetlier with the grain running horizontally. 



The bottom board is about seventeen by tweuty- 

 faur inches, with strong cleats on the under side. 

 The cover a little larger than the bottom, with 

 cleats to prevent warping and becoming misplaced. 

 Neither top nor bottom fastened to the hive. The 

 entrances are — an inch hole in the center of each 

 end, and a slat in tlie bottom of each end, eight 

 inches long and three-eights deep. 



The frames hang crosswise, the ends of top pieces 

 resting on top of the hive. The dimensions of the 

 frames are sucli that there is three-eights space on 

 each side and one-half inch at the bottom — the tops 

 of the frames fitting close together. A division 

 board of half-inch stufl'is used to regulate the capac- 

 ity. 



Those of your readers who have the March No., 

 1870, can readily see, by reference to pages 46 and 

 47 of that No., the reasons for making the hive as 

 here indicated. But for the benefit of those who 

 may not have access to said No. I will here give a 

 brief statement of those reasons. 



First, the hive must be tall, so as to secure the 

 storing of honey for the winter supplies of the col- 

 ony in the upper portions of the combs, where it is 

 needed for their successful wintering. 



Secondly, a dimsiim-board must be used, so as to 

 adjust the room to the size of tlie swarm or colony, 

 in order both to facilitate comb-building, and to 

 allow of the rapid building up of week col- 



onies to strong ones. For the same rea- 

 sons, the hive must be made narrow in 

 proportion to length from front to rear, so that the 

 room needed by a small colonj^, say three or four 

 frames, may not be out of proportion. 



We also find this form best adapted to nuclei for 

 queen-rearing; as one hive is large enough for 

 three or four good nuclei, and frames can be readily 

 interchanged with strong colonies, to supply brood. 



We use no boxes for surplus honey, but obtain it 

 in frames in the rear end of the hive, where the 

 bees will .store it much more rapidly than in boxes ; 

 and then, by using the extractor, we have every 

 advantage desired. 



If any reader of tliis desires to make such a hive, 

 and cannot do it from the above description, the 

 writer will cheerfully give him full particulars, 

 including dimensions, provided he will send with 

 his application stamps or money sufficient to pay 

 for time, stationery and postage. 



Fig. 1. 

 Sectional Honey Boxes. 



In connection with Harbison's movable comb bee- 

 hive is found the most convenient attachment in 

 the line of surplus honey boxes tliat we have ever 

 seen. Fig. 1 is a view of one of these boxes, while 

 Fig. 3 shows a single section of the complete bo.x. 



The box is composed of eight rings, or frames, 

 which are fastened closely together, as will be seen. 

 The edges of these frames fit up closely together, 

 and are fastened by clamps or straps let into rab- 

 bets on the sides, tacked at each 

 (Uid, forming a perfect box, which, 

 if desired for retailing in market, 

 or for private use, can be easil.v 

 sub -divided in small parcels, of 

 from one pound upward, to suit 

 the wants of purchasers, without 

 cutting, or in any way breaking a Pig, 3. 



single cell of honey, tliereby saving loss from leak- 

 age. 



Size for Honey boxes. At a bee-keepers con- 

 vention at Ehiiira, N. Y., a talk was had on the 

 best size for houey-boxes, and at what height from 

 the ground hives sljould stand. 



Mr. Chase thuoght boxes holding about four and 



