164 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



styles and finish — some with boxes, others composed o{ "improved, 

 movable, sectional frames," and others combining the two principles — 

 using a square box for the brood hive and " sectional frames," and small 

 honey boxes for obtaining the surplus honey. 



We believe the following illustrations and descriptions of these hives 

 will be acceptable to our readers. 



Fig. 1 is a hive containing the two principles combined ; with the top 

 and back opened, showing the internal arrangement. The boxes g and 

 H, with the honey boxes i and j on the top, represent the " Combination 

 Hive," patented 1852. That part occupied with the " Sectional Frames^'' 

 AAAA is the late improvement of Mr. Phelps, also combining the two 

 improvements, by using one box (h) for the brood-hive, with three 

 or four of the frames, aaa, placed by the side (as seen in the engra- 

 ving), with communications from the brood-hive to the frames, which 

 are easily opened and closed at will, by means of a thin slide between 

 the apartments. The advantages secured by the use of the small frames, 

 in the place of a large honey box, as formerly used, is, in obtaining the 

 surplus honey in a much more desirable condition, either for family use, 

 or for market : as it is stored in the small frames in separate pieces, five 

 or six inches square, in which condition it is taken from the hive with- 

 out cutting or marring the combs, and can be kept in the frames until 

 used. 



The arrangement for freeing the honey and frames from the bees is 

 a matter worthy of note, as all that is necessary to be done is, to close 

 the communication between the apartments with the slides, and insert a 

 long tin exit tube in the front of the hive, so that the bees must pass out 

 through the tube, from the apartments containing the honey-frames,' and 

 in returning to the hive, will enter the brood apartment through a more 

 open space. In this way the bees are soon cleared from the honey, 

 leaving it free for removal, without resorting to smoking, driving, etc. 



The main brood-hive (h) is occupied by the bees as their permanent 

 residence, and is about one foot square in the clear, in the hives as now 

 made. It is divided into two equal parts, and joined at the center by 

 means of small dowels of wire, so as to be separated at will. In each 

 apartment there is either a sectional frame, or guide bars, attached at 

 the adjoining edges, in which the bees construct their combs, parallel 

 with the separating joint, so that either half can be removed at will, 

 without cutting or marring the combs, while at the same time there is 

 no partition in the hive to separate the combs or bees ; consequently, 

 they construct their brood-combs equally in each half of the hive, and 

 when either is removed, there is a certainty of obtaining about one half 

 of the brood-combs — an advantage not secured in any other arrange- 

 ment that has come under our notice. 



The tops of these hives are so constructed that by means of a late 

 improvement the bees cannot construct their combs across the frames or 

 bars. This is a very important feature in these hives, for, unless the 

 combs are constructed straight on the frames or bars, and parallel with the 

 joint of separation, the hive could not be taken apart without marring the 

 combs and injuring the bees. It is also very important, in connection 

 with the " movable frames," as here much difficulty has been experienced ; 



