102 BEES FOR PLEASURE AND PROFIT. 



colonies with the greatest ease by giving combs of hatching 

 brood at intervals of a few days, the chances of such brood 

 being chilled by the paucity in number of bees to cover it 

 being infinitely less than in England, 



Sections should be used as Miniature Frames in Baby 

 Nucleus Hives. 



In forming very small or "Baby" nuclei, as they are 

 called, the use of 4|-inch by 4;^-inch sections in place of 

 frames, or of tiny frames 4| inches by 4^ inches inside 

 measure (just large enough to hold one section), will be 

 found very advantageous. 



South African Standard Size Frames. 



In South Africa I long ago introduced a frame, similar 

 to the British Standard size except that it is | inch deeper 

 {i.e., 9i inches instead of 8^ inches deep) and the side bars 

 are |^ inch thick instead of j inch, while the bottom bars are 

 I inch thick instead of |- inch. This leaves a space inside 

 the bars of 12| inches by 8i- inches, or exactly sufficient to 

 hold six sections 4| inches by 4]- inches. 



Preparing Sections to put into Frames. 



To cut the sections down to the necessary width (i.e., not 

 less than | inch or more than 1 inch) to fit into one of these 

 frames, the ordinary IJ inch or 2 inches wide sections are 

 sawn down the middle, each original section thus making two 

 narrow ones. These sections are then fitted with full sheets of 

 brood foundation, and placed in the frames. If they fit loosely 

 they must be jambed into the frames with tiny wedges of 

 wood, so as to hold them firmly in their place ; and the frame 

 will then be ready to insert in the brood nest of a strong hive, 

 as described later on. In fitting up sections in frames, the 

 two-bee-way sections should be chosen in preference to the 

 four-way, while the best sections of all for this work are those 

 which are perfectly plain and without any bee-ways at all 

 (fig. 46). When these latter sections are used, anyone 

 accustomed to do carpentering or joinery work will find it 

 very much easier and quicker to cut them down the middle, 



