96 HIVES AND BOXES. 
and advantages of movable frames, I will briefly give the 
most important points. Each comb, instead of being 
attached to the top and sides of the hive, is built ina 
frame, so arranged that each can be handled separately. 
The hives are so made that all the combs can be in- 
spected without difficulty. When the bees diminish in 
numbers, the cause can be readily ascertained. 
The exact amount of sealed honey can be seen at a 
glance, and weak colonies strengthened, by exchanging an 
empty comb, for one full of brood and honey, from a 
strong colony. The amount of worker-brood that they 
shall raise may be increased, and the number of drones 
lessened, by substituting worker for drone comb. Swarms 
can be made at pleasure by dividing. The ravages of 
the moth-worm can be detected and prevented. 
These are but a few of the considerations hereafter to 
be presented, but should be sufficient to convince any but 
the most stolid intellect, of the immeasurable superiority 
of hives with movable frames, over the common box-hive. 
Nevertheless, in urging enterprising bee-keepers to 
adopt them, it must be clearly understood that something ~ 
is required beyond the mere substitution of a movable- 
comb hive for the old box. 
“ INTELLIGENT MANIPULATION NECESSARY. 
Many bee-keepers have been sadly victimized in their 
first efforts at such improvement, by the misrepresenta- 
tions of unscrupulous hive-venders, whose only motive 
was to obtain the fee for using their ‘‘ patent” hives, and 
then leave the perplexed apiarian to blunder into worse 
dilemmas than before. Many are led to believe that the 
mere use of the hive in question, will insure the success 
which the skilled manager of movable ‘frames is able to 
attain, over the meagre results of the old system. 
A hive is procured, but before building a large number, 
