774 



•TH® SM^MicMif mmm j^ismmmLr. 



Spacing Frames in the Brood- 

 Nest. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 



Query 592.— 1. What is the proper or best 

 distance apart to space frames in the hive? 

 I use the Van Deusen metal cornera, and my 

 hives take 8 frames spaced Vz an inch apart. 

 2. Would not 9 Irames In the same space be 

 better? 3. If so, why? If not, why not? 

 The queen will only deposit eggs in cells 7-16 

 deep. I think that the Van Deusen corners 

 are a little too wide, as the bees are apt to 

 build the cells too deep for eggs, and illl them 

 with honey, thus preventing the queen from 

 depositing eggs In them.— S. 



Seven-eighths inch top-bars are the 

 usual width. I prefer to space brood- 

 frames If inches apart from center to 

 center. — James Heddon. 



1. I use IJ inches from center to 

 center of the frames. 2. I have no 

 experience with the Van Deusen hive. 



G. M. DOOLITTLE. 



I have usually used frames IJ inches 

 from center to center. That satisfies 

 me. I think that a slight variation 

 does no harm. — A. J. Cook. 



The distance from the center of one 

 top-bar to the centre of the other 

 .should be nearly 1 7-16 inches. — J. P. 

 H. Brown. 



Space your frames just 1 7-16 inches 

 from center to center, and you will be 

 about right for all practical purposes. 

 — H. D. Cutting. 



From center to center brood-frames 

 should be about If inches apart. I 

 have usually spaced them IJ, but that 

 is wider than necessary. — M. Mahin. 



1. I space IJ inches from center to 

 center. I am not authority on ques- 

 tions 2 and 3. — J. M. Hambaugh. 



1. Eight frames to the foot are what 

 I generally use, but I have used nine. 

 I prefer eight, as it gives more room 

 for the bees, and they are more con- 

 venient to handle. — A. B. Mason. 



1. One and three-eighths inches or 

 a little less, from center to center. 2. 

 That depends upon the size of your 

 hive. Give each frame from 1} to If 

 inches from center to center. — R. L. 

 Taylor. 



As I do not use the metal corners 

 spoken of, and therefore cannot appre- 

 ciate your difficulty, and as you seem 

 to have reasoned out the matter prettj- 

 well, I will not advise. — Eugene 

 Secor. 



In questions of this kind you should 

 give dimensions of the hive, etc., as 

 many do not know anything about the 

 Van Deusen corners. Frames should 

 be a little less than 1} inches from cen- 

 ter to center ; ten frames in a space of 

 14i inches is about right. — P. L. Vial- 



LON. 



1. One and a half inches from cen- 

 ter to center. 2. I think not. 3. The 

 queen always has the comb well 

 stocked with eggs and brood before 

 the honey-flow causes the bees to en- 

 large the combs. — Mrs. L. Harbison. 



I use If inches from center to cen- 

 ter space of brood-combs. As jou do 

 not give the size of j'our hives, I am 

 unable to answer your other questions. 



C. H. DiBBERN. 



1. I prefer If inches for my brood- 

 combs. 2. I would think so. 3. Be- 

 cause the combs are kept straight by 

 reason of there being no surplus room 

 to bulge them out of shape. After 

 looking more carefully at your ques- 

 tions, you leave me in the dark when 

 you say that your frames are i inch 

 apart. The proper way is to measure 

 from center to center of the frames. — 

 G. W. Demaree. 



1. I am not sure. Perhaps If inches 

 from center to center. 2. I am in- 

 clined to think it would. 3. Because 

 with only 8 frames the space is IJ 

 inches, which, I think, is too much. I 

 take it that j'our top-bars are one inch 

 wide. If not, that changes the whole 

 aftair. — C. C. Millek. 



1. Usually Ij inches from center to 

 center. 2. I think nearer spacing 

 would be better. 3. The reasons, 

 therefor, would require more space 

 than can be given here — in fact they 

 would form the text or basis of a long 

 article. — J. E. Pond. 



1. Three-eights of an inch ; in other 

 words, just the width of j'our fore- 

 finger. 2. Yes. 3. Because the J inch 

 is too wide, and the additional frame 

 would decrease the distance. Bees are 

 quite to liable to build comb in spaces 

 any larger than f of an inch. — Will 

 M. Barnum. 



1. One and a half inches from cen- 

 ter to center. 2. No. 3. Because your 

 combs would be too crowded, and 

 would be gnawed down by the bees 

 wherever there would be too little 

 room. Also, because less bees can 

 cluster between the combs, and they 

 do not keep up the heat so well, etc. — 

 Dadant & Son. 



Eight frames to the foot for winter, 

 and nine frames to the foot for sum- 

 mer. Frames closely spaced are more 

 suitable for brood, and less suitable 

 for storage, because of the thinness of 

 the combs ; and there is less spare 

 room also when closely spaced than in 

 the old way. This close spacing, as a 

 principle, is known as " the J. E. Pond 

 method," and is quite valuable — J. M. 

 Shuck. 



1. About If inches from center to 

 centre is the best distance to space 

 brood-frames, but some use tliem 

 wider apart, and others even narrower, 



varying all the way from IJ to IJ 

 inches. Those who use "Van Deusen 

 metal corners " for frames are best 

 qualified to criticise them. Perhaps 

 you are right in your deductions. — 

 The Editor. 



Plantingr Trees for Honey and 

 as Wind.Breaks. 



Written for the American Bee Jowmal 



Query 593.— I have 4 or 5 acres that I 

 wish to plant to forest trees. 1. What variety 

 (or varieties) would be the most valuaole and 

 hardy ? 2. Will the basswood {or linden) grow 

 from cuttings ? or what time should the seed 

 he planted, or will they grow from the seed ? 

 I want to plant most of the trees next spring, 

 and would like to plant trees that would pro- 

 duce honey as well as make a wind-break and 

 shade. — Iowa, 



1. Basswood. Plant small trees. — 

 James Heddon. 



I would recommend basswood. It 

 is best to propagate it from the seed. — 

 J. P. H. Brown. 



I know nothing at all, practically, 

 of the matter. — ,1. E. Pond. 



I have had no experience in tliis 

 line. — H. D. Cutting. 



This can be better answered by 

 some one in your State. — P.L.Viallon. 



Black locust and honey locust, or 

 linden and box-elder. — Mrs. L. Har- 

 rison. 



1 should prefer basswood, and would 

 get the young trees at some nursery. 

 1 think that cuttings of basswood 

 would grow. — G. M. Doolittle. 



Linden, and tulip if they do well, 

 from seeds. Plant in the fall or 

 spring. The trees grow rapidly, and 

 are beautiful. — A. J. Cook. 



1. Linden, if you want honey. 2. 

 We need light upon raising linden 

 from seed. • You would probably bet- 

 ter buy yoifng trees. I do not believe 

 that they will grow from cuttings in 

 open ground. — C. C. Miller. 



I would plant the linden, and a few 

 soft maples. I am not authority on 

 how to get the plants started. — J. M. 

 Hambaugh. 



1. I would plant black walnut. 2. 

 I do not know, never having tried it- 

 Plant the seed in the fall. For a shade 

 and honey-tree plant basswood (or 

 linden). — A. B: Mason. 



If I were to plant for the value of 

 the timber, I should plant Ijlack wal- 

 nut ; for honey, basswood is the best 

 for your State. I do not know whether 

 they will grow from cuttings, but they 

 will grow from seed. I do not know 

 the best time or manner of planting. — 



C. H. DiBBERN. 



1. Where fence-posts are used, black 

 locust is very valuable. It grows very 

 rapidly, and" lasts equal to red cedar. 



