HIVES. 21 



each end of the roof for ventilation, and covered with a square 

 of perforated zinc on the inside, to prevent the bees escaping 

 from the hive, or robber bees entering it. A better plan, 

 however, is to cover this hole on the outside with a cone-shaped 

 bee escape (fig. 146), which /illows any bees accidentally im- 

 prisoned during a manipulation to escape. 



The roof and body hive must both be provided with plinths 

 — the former all round, the latter on all sides except that in 

 which is the entrance. 



Position of Frames. 



We now come to the question, Shall the frames run parallel 

 to the entiance, or at right angles to it? There are mbny 

 advocates of both systems, each claiming great advantages for 

 the one he prefers ; but, after all, there is little to choose 

 between them, and one is about as good as the other. A hive in 

 which the frames run parallel to the enti ance is known as a 

 " Combination Hive"; and this kind is, perhaps, rather warmer 

 than one having the frames running at right angles to the 

 entrance. In a hive of more than ten or twelve-frame capacity 

 — i.e., one more than 18 inches long — the frames should always 

 run parallel to the entrance, as otherwise they would be awk- 

 ward to manipulate, and the hive would present an exceedingly 

 clumsy appearance to the eye. 



The Size of the Hive. 



The size of the hive, or how many frames it shall hold, is a 

 very important point. For general use, a hive made to take 

 ten frames and two |-inch dummies — i.e., a hive 16J inches 

 long inside — will be found the most serviceable, as, when the 

 dummy-boards are removed, and the frames spaced close to- 

 gether — 15 inch fiom centre to centre — the hive will take 

 thirteen frames if need be, or twelve quite easily. If we keep 

 Carniolan or Syrian bees, a hive to take fifteen or eighteen 

 frames — i.e., one 22| inches or 27 inches long — may possess 

 some advantages over a hive only 16g inches in length ; but the 

 fifteen or eighteen-frame hives are very bulky and unwieldy 

 things, and most bee-keepers will prefer a ten-frame hive. 



