HIVES AND FEAME8. 



43 



used, and must pro- 

 vide such bee space 

 (83) as careful observa- 

 tion of tlie natural 

 instincts of the bees 

 has shown to be desir- 

 able. This appears to 

 be too obvious to re- 

 quire explanation. Yet 

 some unfortunate mis- 

 takes have been made 

 by inexperienced per- 

 sons in manufacturinft" 

 hives to a g'iven exter- 

 nal measurement, only 

 to find that the frames 

 could not be worked in 

 them. 



83. Internal measure- 

 ments. — The internal 

 measurements of a mod- 

 ern hive are too exact 

 to admit of slipshod 

 carpentery. A i-i6th of 

 an inch, one way or an- 

 other, may make or mar 

 a hive ; and an inaccu- 

 racy of a nature so trifl- 

 ing that it would be 

 quite inconsiderable in 

 the case of a piano or of a wooden leg", may render a hive 

 utterly useless for the keeping of bees upon modern principles. 

 A moveable-comb hive is such only when its combs are move- 

 able ; and it is found that if the spaces between the ends of 

 the frames (97) and the inner walls of the body box (86) are 

 less than |-inch, the bees, being unable to pass, will fasten the 

 frames to the body box with propolis, while if the spaces are 

 more than |-inch, the bees will build brace comb there. There 

 is, therefore, a safe space from J-inch to f-inch, and if this be 

 increased or diminished the frames are liable to be fastened to 

 the body box, in which case manipulations of the hive will 

 involve unnecessary exasperation of both the bees and their 

 keeper. As to the respective advantages of the l-inch and the 

 1-inch spaces, some difference of opinion exists among experi- 

 enced bee-keepers. All, however, agree that where bees are 

 found to respect the §-inch space, that space offers very 

 important advantages in the greater facility with which frames 



Fig 19. 

 TKE " FEDEKATION '• HIVE. 



