and its Economic Management. 183 
act as a dummy. This I prefer to fit only just tight, as 
both wedges and springs are quite unnecessary. With 
crates in general use for common hives, the 
Space between the sections and top bars 
of the frames is objectionable, if it should exceed 4-inch, in 
that brace-combs are nearly always attached to the under- 
side of the sections. To avoid this entirely with ordinary 
hives I adopted, in 1881, a crate with the bottom composed 
of slats standing 3-inch apart. When in position these 
slats come close upon the frames, but at right angles to 
them; thus the bees have simply a number of small holes 
for passages—about @-inch by 4-inch, which they are 
compelled to keep open; no brace-combs are built in 
consequence, as those are always continued from the wax 
that may be along the sides of the frame bars, when the 
old plan is allowed. During the many years I used this 
style of crate I had no brace-combs attached to my 
sections. 
Fig. 27 will give a good idea of the manner in which the 
said square passages are formed ; C being the bottom slats 
of the crate, and D the frame bars. 
But now having the slats close upon the frames it will 
be readily understood that a full-sized crate could not be 
used without much inconvenience; I therefore made it 
in two as seen in Fig. 28, each holding twelve to fifteen 
sections, and have had no more difficulty in removing one 
half at a time than in taking out a frame of comb. In 
replacing them a gentle horizontal motion will cause every 
bee to run down out of the way, though smoke i used 
will at once clear the course. 
But perhaps the most important point with my twin 
crate, is that as the central combs are completed, by 
simply turning the outer row to the centre, the whole are 
