THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



41 



the trouble of packing- them in the fall, 

 and unpacking- them in the spring-, than 

 to be hampered ail summer with the 

 bungling-, stand-still character of the 

 chaff hive. All manipulations must be 

 made by handling- frames. 



Yes, my preference is for a single-wall 

 hive, made just as simple as it is possible 

 to make it. The bottom board, a plain 

 board with cleats at the end to prevent 

 warpingf, and then strips of wood, >i x % , 

 nailed around the sides and back end to 

 support the hives above the bottom board. 

 In place of nailing- on a strip at the back 

 end, this portion of the bottom board may 

 be formed by allowing the cleat at the 

 back end to project '/2 inch above the 

 surface of the bottom board. I also think 

 favorably of what has been called the 

 reversible bottom board, that is, a bottom 

 board made exactly as 1 have deccribed, 

 with the addition of ]/& strips on the under 

 side, thus the bottom board can be turned 

 over in hot weather, and this ^ves an 

 entrance y& of an inch in height, instead 

 of Yz inch. It adds very little to the cost, 

 and is certainly a benefit in hot weather; 

 while I think a small entrance is a benefit 

 in the spring-. Warmth is then needed in 

 the rearing- of brood, and we all know 

 how a large door left open would hinder 

 us in keeping our houses warm. 



The body of a hive i would have a 

 simple box, y& of an inch deeper than the 

 frames, and % longer, inside, than their 

 length, with rabbets cut in the inside of 

 the end-pieces to support the frames. 1 

 wouM also have hand-holes cut in the 

 sides for convenience in lifting the hives. 

 I have used hives with a rim of wood 

 nailed around near the top. This rim 

 makes an excellent handle, and strength- 

 ens the hive somewhat, but 1 think it un- 

 necessary on that score, I would not 

 have the corners of the hives notched or 

 dovetailed, as it is called. 1 would not 

 even go to the expense of halving the 

 corners. I will admit that corners so 

 made are stronger, but it is a strength 

 not needed. A bee hive is not thrown 

 about like a box sent by freight. It is 



handled carefully in the apiary, and when 

 the corners are well-nailed, with cement- 

 coated nails, care being taken to have the 

 heart side of the lumber placed out, there 

 will never be any trouble from weakness 

 of the corners. 1 have used such hives 

 for years and years, and know whereof I 

 speak. 



don't try to make a combination cover, 

 shade-board and packing-box. 

 I would continue the same simplicity in 

 the construction of the cover. 1 would 

 have simply a plain, flat board with cleats 

 at the ends to prevent warping. 1 am 

 aware that with ten-frame hives, there is 

 now difficulty in i^etting lumber wide 

 enough to make such covers, but such a 

 cover can be made of two or more pieces, 

 by sawing grooves in the edges, painting 

 the edges with thick paint, and placing 

 strips of tin covered with paint in the 

 grooves. Let the pieces then be pressed 

 tightly together, and the end cleats nailed 

 on, and they are the equal of covers made 

 from a single board. I know some have 

 advocated covers of metal having a lining 

 of felt, or some non-conductor of heat, 

 the claim being made that much heat is 

 lost through the cover in the spring. Of 

 course, there is a point here; but there is 

 another one : If the heat is prevented 

 from escaping through the cover, it 

 spreads out and strikes the sides of the 

 hive, and escapes through them, unless 

 prevented; for this reason I would protect 

 the whole hive in the spring by wrapping 

 it in tarred felt; and when it is time to 

 remove this covering, there is no need of 

 a special cover for conserving the heat. 



My plea is for simplicity in hive-con- 

 struction. For plain simple frames, with- 

 out projections, or staples, without any 

 excresences whatever. Then 1 would 

 hang them in a hive that is equally 

 simple. 1 believe, yes. I know, that all of 

 these "fixings" that are put upon frames 

 and hives are a needless expense that 

 brings no recompense. 



Flint, Mich., Jan. 50, 190?. 



