V.I , 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



without reference to obstructions, and muU 

 tituiies, particularly if the fall of tempera- 

 ture be sudden, bring up in the centre of the 

 broadside of a comb outside the cluster, aud 

 soon perish, or at least lose their vitality. 

 In our changeable climate this is repeated 

 over and over again until the colony is great- 

 ly depleted in numbers and reduced in vigor. 

 But in the sectional hive the direct way to 

 the centre of the cluster is always open, so 

 that the lives and vigor of advonterous bees 

 are preserved. Colonies thus wintered build 

 up with remarkable rapidity in the spring; 

 not only by reason of unimpaired vigor, but 

 also jfrom the following fact, which should 

 not be overlooked: In early spring, while 

 cold nights are the rule, even when botli sec- 

 tions are used, the colony has all the advan- 

 tages of a hive contracted to the capacity of 

 five L. frames; because the aforesaid bee- 

 space facilitates the spreading of the brood 

 laterally in the upper section, to which 

 the heat of the cluster ascends. Thus the 

 heat of the colony is used with much less 

 waste than where it rises and spreads out at 

 the top over unoccupied combs; while the 

 bees are compelled, on deep combs, to force 

 their brood downuHird against adverse cir- 

 cumstances. As a result, at the season of 

 apple bloom a large proportion of the hives 

 are so full of bees that the sections may be 

 interchanged, which places the comb unoccu- 

 pied with brocxl in the centre of the lirood- 

 nest, thus giving an impetus to brood rdariug 

 at a time whei it will count in the time of 

 ■Whitj clover and bassNvojd. At the same 

 time, if any honey is being gathered, a case 

 of sections may be put on; aud they will be 

 at once occupied, as the fames just below are 

 fall of brood. 



In like manner, it is difficult to see how 

 any hive constructed on dilferent principles 

 can equal this in the completeness with 

 which it meets the demands of my second 

 point. Properly handled, the bees always 

 go into the supers promptly, if any honey is 

 coming in; indeed, generally if it is not. It 

 is well calculated for easily giving an im- 

 pulse to brood rearing, as indicated above, 

 when that means useful workers, and at a 

 time when brood rearing means vsele.'^s 

 workers and a large curtailment of the sur- 

 plus, it may bi» restricted by merely putting 

 one section of the brood chamljer anywhere 

 above the qneen-excludinij liouey-board; and 

 whether full sized or contracted the brood 

 chamber is always r/s midc arni as /o/k? as 

 the super. 



But some one may ask, what of the boe- 

 spaco through the centre of the brood-cham- 

 ber? I have already given my reasons for 

 considering it an advantage, but will reyily 

 by asking: What of the IfiO cubic inches 

 more or less between nnd outside the end 

 bars of the hanging frames of other hives. 

 for the bees to keep warm and in which to 

 lounge and escai)e going into the sections? 



It only remains to discuss this hive in its 

 relation to economy of time and labor; and 

 with a little thoutrht anyone of experience 

 will perceive its advantages without extended 

 exp anation. (a) The great gain arising from 

 fixed frames is patent. There is no loss of 

 time or temper in shipping Ikx^u to n^ out. 



apiary, in moving hives, or in hiving swarmB, 

 arising from a necessity for opening the 

 hives to adjust or to fasten the frames, (b) 

 Contraction or expansion is accomplished 

 by simply removing or adding a section of 

 the hive — the work of a miimte. (c) As a 

 rule, queens may be found much more rap- 

 idly in this hive than in any other, and the 

 hive need not even be opened up. A little 

 smoke and two or three shakes will usually 

 deposit her with the bees on the ground in 

 front of the hive stand, (d) It is very sel 

 dom necessary to handle a frame in making 

 any desired internal examination. Raise 

 one end of the upper section and the secrets 

 within may be read at a glance as from a 

 book. Ail queen cells even, if the combs are 

 good, may be easily destroyed with the blade 

 of a knife; while honey for extracting may be 

 reuioved and freed from bees as easily as 

 cases of comb honey. Moreover, if desired, 

 the frames are manipulated as readily as 

 those of any other hive. 



Lapekij, Mich., 



Dec. 20; 1888- 



Inversion; Contraction; Interchanging; The 

 "Shake-Out" Function; Honey- 

 Boards; How all These fit 

 the Heddon Hive. 



JAS. HEDPON. 



Y THE way bee-hive discussions have 

 been carried on in the past, in other 

 journals, you have, Mr. Editor, done 

 a brave, yes, a daring deed, in making 

 hives the subject for an isssue of your paper. 

 But, sir, do you stop to realize that the brav- 

 ery demanded of a man who has invented, 

 tested, found praise-worthy, and had the te- 

 merity to praise, a hive, n.ust be tar greater 

 than yours when he writes about it, hewing 

 to the line aud letting the chips fall where 

 they may? 



Mow, 1 suppose most of your readers are 

 aware that a lew years ago, (which might be 

 called "recently." as applied to the inven- 

 tion of any hive that has come to stay) I dis- 

 covered new methods and mechanical cloth- 

 ing for carrying out admitted valuable func- 

 tions HI bee-liives and tlieir manipulation. 

 Believing as I do that these new functions 

 are superior to all that have goue before, 

 notwithstanding I have ;; patent in the 

 liiunci States and D. A. -l(^ti<s has mw in 

 Canada upon the clothinij ui the functions, 

 notliii.g is left for me bul to hew to the lino 

 as I see it, and never mind the chips. 



'J\) begin witii, I am conlident I shall 

 nevor use another In-ood-frame t liat is not 

 reversible, separately, t'r in sets, by the case. 

 It piijs to have them reversi))le if they are 

 never inverted but once, for the purpose of 

 having the condis solidly and completely fill 

 the frames. Again. I would not. think trl 

 raising eitlier coml) or extracted honey, with- 

 out i)racticing the contracting system. That 

 is, practicing contracting the hive at that 

 season of the year when I don't want to rear 

 bees to become well nigh useless after I had 

 j^oue to t^e expeiaae of doing so. 'I'here it> 



