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A MONTHLY JOURNAL 



Devoted to the Interests of Honey Producers. 

 $1.00 A YEAR. 

 W. Z. HDTCHiNSON, Editor and Proprietor. 



VOL. XV. FLINT, MICHIGAN, MAY 10, 1902. NO. 5. 



HIVE CONSTRUCTION 



BY R. G. AIKIN. 



Some Needed Improvements in Hives Pointed out 

 For the Consideration of Manufacturers. 



1 



Daily, new exactions are 



have for some time wanted to saj' 

 some things about hives, offering some 

 criticisms and suggestions. A plan may 

 seem very nice in theory and on paper, 

 but practice shows the weak points. The 

 Review is not in the manufacturing busi- 

 ness, and in its columns will be a good 

 place to set forth any idea on this ques- 

 tion. I commend to all factory people a 

 careful consideration of these thoughts. 

 THE HIV1-; COVER. 

 Considerable has been said of late on 

 the cover question, but the problem has 

 not been solved. It is all right to have 

 the hive and super Vjodies to meet by a 

 plain square surface as is now the custom 

 with the Dovetailed hive and others; but, 

 when it comes to the cover, there is quite 

 a difference. One chamber on top of 

 another may not just lit snugly at first, 



devised — shakesi>eari;. 



owing to a slight twist, but, the weight 

 that is nearly always present in a hive is 

 almost sure to bring the parts together 

 very soon. With a cover the case is dif- 

 ferent; it has not the depth to hold it from 

 twisting, and its weight is never enough 

 to bring it down at any time. It is very 

 easy to get a cover slightly twisted in 

 nailing it, and the heat and cold, wet and 

 dry, moisture inside and dry outside, etc., 

 make the board warp. 



The old style, one-piece cover cleated 

 on each end, has a point in its favor not 

 possessed by the E.xcelsior, i. e., it is re- 

 versible. I have many times reversed 

 these covers, finding them cupped till the 

 edges were a good bee space up from the 

 hive sides, the upper side being quite 

 concave. When I find one this way, I 

 reverse it and so make the hive reason- 



