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XHREK-SIUEW IIIVES. 



Mention has several times been made In 

 these columns of a three-sided hive made by 

 D. Chalmers, of Poole, Ont. As we intend 

 to keep our readers posted on the " devel- 

 opments of the times," vre present the fea- 

 tures of this hive with engravings from the 

 Canadiam, Honey Producer. Mr. Chalmers 

 does not claim to have invented any new 

 kind of a hive, and the name " three-sided 

 hive" is a misnomer. This is Mr. Chalmers' 

 own description of what his invention con- 

 sists : 



New and useful improvements in bee- 

 hives, consisting of movable sides, and a 

 cut in the ends of the frames, by which the 

 frames are suspended on iron slides, and 

 one side of which engages a groove in the 

 inner center of the ends of the hive, while 

 the other side projects far enough to support 

 the frames in C, a transverse groove in the 

 center of the ends of the frames of about 

 11-32 of an inch in width ; the slides pass 



inverted, the comb 

 inch, and thus re- 



through the ends of the side pieces of the 

 hive as well, and can be slipped in or out 

 from either side ; tliey are well adapted tor 

 supporting the frames, and at the same time 

 are so secured that they cannot spring or 

 bend under the weight 



When the hive is 

 frames drop 5-16 of an 

 sume the same relative position as before 

 It is immaterial which side of the hive is 

 up, and should tlie manipulator see fit to 

 invert it, he may rest assured that on his 

 return he will find the frames retaining 

 their position, without danger of dropping 

 out of place. 



B indicates the comb-frames which are 

 5-16 of an inch less in verticle dimensions 

 than the hive, so that when the latter is in 

 position, the upper level of the top hive 

 giving full bee-space between the top of the 

 frames and the honey-board ; tliey also 

 hang slightly below the bottom of the hive. 



By this arrangement it will be seen that 

 when the latter is placed across the bottom- 

 board, or of level pieces, that the frames 

 will be raised to a degree sufficient to re- 

 lieve the slides, which can then be easily 

 withdrawn, alowing any of the frames to be 

 taken out, or the hive lifted off, all frames 

 at once, or witlinut either changing the 



gosition of the hive or removing the slides, 

 ut simply by detaching the side, the ma- 

 nipulation is readily accomplished. 



The reader will understand at a glance 

 how nicely the movable-side vporks with my 

 plan of suspending frames with closed ends, 1 



the method of securing abjustable side is 

 yet incomplete, it should have spring 

 enough to come and go with closed-end 

 frames (or sections side by side) as affected 

 by weather. 



The bottom-board is also invertible. It is 

 made of a board of equal width with the in- 

 terior of the hive, with pieces nailed to the 

 sides, and one end corresponding in thick- 

 ness with the sides of the hive, and wide 

 enough to project % of an inch on one side, 

 and % of an inch or more on the other side 

 of the board ; the former is for summer, and 

 the latter for winter use, and requires to be 

 turned up in early fall. 



The winter extension I do not claim, but 

 I am told that it is the invention of Mr. J. 



B 



D 



B. Young, of Stratford (I also saw in a late 

 issue of the American Bee Jottenal a 

 similar board described, so far as 1 have 

 gone). Across the center on the summer 

 side of this board I drive a row of strong 

 wire nails until the top of their heads come 

 level with the top of the ledges, one nail 

 under each frame. This is to prevent the 

 frames from sagging • the interior of the 

 frames are supported by a strong wire 

 which reaches from the lower to the upper 

 bar, and the frames in the cases above 

 (should there be any) by a piece of tin 5-16 

 of an inch in width, which stands on the 

 edge on the frames below. It is T-shaped 

 on either end, and its position is maintained 

 by those ends being placed between the 

 lower and upper side frames. 



The honey-board is made of woven strips 

 of wood (same as window blinds) ; they 

 are strong enough to carry their own weight 

 across the hive, and only being propolized 

 around the under edge of the hive, are easily 

 ripped off. 



The top, as shown in the engraving, con- 

 sists of four narrow pieces being nailed to- 

 gether, rabbeted on one edge to rest on the 

 hive. This is used for spring and fall pack- 

 ing, and in hot weather it keeps the cover 

 at a distance from the combs and bees. The 

 roof is flat, and is held in place by cleats 

 being nailed to the lower side of it, which 

 slips inside of the box. 



Xlie rVortli Ainerioan Coiivt'n- 

 tion was to have been held at Toledo ne.\t 

 fall. It is proposed to change it to Colum- 

 bus, O., and the following circular has been 

 sent to each member to ascertain the views 

 and votes in the matter : 



Owing to the holding of the Ohio Centen- 

 nial Exposition, at Columbus, C, from Sept. 

 4 to Oct. 19, next, and the consequent re- 

 duction of railroad fares, a goodly number 

 of the members of the North American Bee- 

 Keepers' Society, among whom are Miss 

 Bennett, Messrs. Thos. G. Newman, A. 1. 

 Root, Eugene Secor. R.F.Holterman, James 

 Heddon, Geo. E. Hilton, Dr. C. C. Miller, 

 H. K. Boardman and Prof. Cook, have e.x- 

 pressed the wish to have the place of the 

 next meeting changed from Toledo to Co- 

 lumbus, and the executive committee has 



been urged to make the change, but the 

 members of the committee are unanimous 

 in the opinion that they have no more 

 power to make the change than have any 

 other members of the society ; but at the re- 

 quest of some of the above named, and 

 others, and in accordance with the best 

 judgment of the committee, this circular 

 has been prepared, and will be sent to every 

 member of the society who has not already 

 expressed their preference to the commit- 

 tee, and the request is that each one receiv- 

 ing this will say on the enclosed postal 

 whether he or she is in favor of the change 

 or not, and, if not, wliether he or she is 

 willing to abide by the wish of the majority. 

 In corresponding, about 200, all who have 

 expressed their preference, are in favor of 

 Columbus. Please do not lay this aside, 

 and make it necessary to write to you again, 

 but put your answer on the enclosed postal 

 card and return it at once. 



A. B. Mason, Pres. 



W. Z. HiTTCHLNsoN, Sec. 



Mrs. L. Harrison, Treaa. 



Executive Committee. 



S>vaniiiiig.— Mr. A. H. Duff, Creigh- 

 ton, O., gives his views upon the above 

 subject in the City and Country in these 

 words : 



Excessive swarming Is very detrimental 

 to the crops of surplus honey, and to pro- 

 duce the best results in surplus, swarming 

 must be controlled to quite an extent. To 

 place a colony in the best possible condi- 

 tion for storing honey, is jlacing it in a 

 condition to swarm also. The perquisites 

 some colonies have for swarming is often 

 very perplexing, and every manner of per- 

 suasion will finally wear out with them. 

 We have found that if colonies are in first- 

 class condition, or very strong in numbers 

 at the opening of the honey flow, they are 

 nearing the swarming point, and we can 

 gain pounds by allowing a division, or a 

 first swarm to issue. Too many bees can 

 be kept in one hive to make it profitable, 

 but, of course, we have reference only to 

 powerful colonies, and would not wish to 

 convey the idea that any profit can be ob- 

 tained from weak colonies. Strong colo- 

 nies Is the road, and the only road, leading 

 to large honey crops. 



One of the most important points in 

 securing large crops of honey is to give 

 abundance ofroom for the bees to store it. 

 This is also one of the best preventives of 

 swarming. In the Italians and the other 

 new races, [however, this is not a decided 

 prevention, but has some effect. But if this 

 fails, and preparation is commenced (which 

 will be the construction of queen-cells), we 

 can postpone it by removing the queen- 

 cells. This may be followed np just as long 

 as it will produce the desired effect. This 

 will oftentimes wear out, and the swarm, 

 being tired of this kind of treatment, will 

 come forth, leaving behind no trace of 

 queen-cells whatever. There is but one 

 remedy left, provided we wish them to oc- 

 cupy the hive as formerly. This is to take 

 their queen away from them, and put them 

 back again as before. This compels them 

 to remain until yomig queens are reared, 

 which will require S or 10 days. 



Queenless colonies may for a time do well, 

 but certain destruction is sure to follow it 

 they are not provided with the same in due 

 time. If a colony in the act of storing sur- 

 plus should swarm, and the swarm hived to 

 ilself, the surplus receptacles should follow 

 the swarm, as they can be brought to the 

 condition for storing much sooner than the 

 parent colony from which they issued. 



All second or after-swarms are a failure 

 if surplus honey is the object. After- 

 swarms may be prevented by removing all 

 queen-cells but one, or, what is better, re- 

 move all and introduce a fertile queen, of 

 which a supply should always be on hand 

 for such emergencies. 



