APPENDIX. 881 



from Mr. LangBtroth's, tho patonbeo, but whether it is bettor, is for others to de- 

 cide. I cau only Bay tliat I am siiitcj wiQi it better than with his. A few will lilco 

 mine, because I do ; others, his, because he rucommomls it. I have uot the least 

 objootioii to any onti's improving it or using it, as either of us do. There is not the 

 least doubt in viy mind Uiat wlioever i-caiwes the greatest possible henq/its from his 6ees, 

 will have to retain the movable comhs in some form. The principle — movable combs— ■ 

 can hardly be dispensed with. 



I would suggest to those who are about beginning with them, to start with a form 

 that cau bo retained. One set of ft-ames should fit any hive. It Is very perplexing 

 to have two sizes of them. Very likely the first occasion there is of changing them. 

 It will be with theso odd ones. If the reader is not satisfied with the form that 1 

 give, I WDuld adviso consulting Mr. Langstroth's work for hia model : while com 

 paring them, something now and superior may be suggested. 



I make the hive as follows : Get boards, 12>i inches wide, and 1 inch in thick, 

 iiess ; cut two lengths, 21^ inches, and two 12 inches. -If to be painted, they aro 

 planed on bpth sides — otherwise, only the inside — these hives having frames inside, 

 to assist the now swarm in holding fast ; the planed surface does no harm, and is 

 an advantage, by saving the bees the trouble of waxing over the rough places. The 

 two shorter pieces are rabbeted out on the inside upper edge a half-inch square, to 

 receive the ends of the ftames. The whole is now thoroughly nailed together, mak- 

 ing a box without top or bottom, the inside just 12 by 19^ inches square, and 12>i 

 deep. In one end is an entrance, 3 or 4 inches long by ^-inch deep at the bottom, 

 and an inch hole half-way to the top.* A strip of wood, about X-i^ch thick by 

 2 inches wide, and 14 inches long, is nailed to each end, near the top, as handles. 

 The stand and roof are made like those recommended on page 138, only longer. 

 The flramcs for the inside — the point constituting its superiority — are made as fol- 

 lows : First, get out a triangular atrip of wood, 18 inches long — the square, an inch 

 — ^this is nailed to another, ^-inch thick', 1^ wide, and 20X inches long ; each end 

 projects beyond the triangular piece, 1% incb. Next, get two strips, %-inch wide by 

 >^-inch thick, and 11 inches in length, for the ends ; then one for the bottom, ^-iuch 

 wide, 5i thick, and 18 inches long, to correspond with the triangular piece at the top. 

 Use small finishing nails, and drive through the ends of the short pieces into the 

 end of the triangular strip, and the one of the same length at the bottom. Hr. Lang- 

 stroth recommends that these end-pieces be a right-angled triangle, instead of the 

 shape I have — the flat surface outward. It is said the bees will aim their comb for 

 the angle, and are less likely to get one side near the end. But whether it will 

 prove enough better for the extra trouble^ is doubtful. When finished, we have a 

 frame m this shape, 18 inches long, by 10 

 deep, inside. This will go down into the hive, 

 and leate a half-inch space between the end 

 of the frame and the end of the hivei The 

 strip that is nailed to the triangular one, with 

 the end projecting, rests on the rabbeting, and 

 supports it— this is the only part that touches 

 the hive. Eight of these frames will go in a 

 hive that is 12 inches wide, 1}4 inches being the right distance from center to cen- 

 ter. To keep them the right distance apart at the bottom, a stick, >i by % of an 

 incli square, is put across the middleof thehive, %of an inchfrom the bottom, with 

 \ AAAAAAA/ ^'^^ braces in this form. Two small mortises, 

 VV V V VVVV >i-inch deep on each side, hold it. It may be put in 

 ■ ■ ■ ' " ' ' ' after the hive is together, by bending it a httle. 

 Very small annealed wire will do ; it is cut in pieces long enough to reach through 

 and turn over to the upper side, which hold them firmly. The points or angles 

 should be just 1^ incbes apart, and the bottom of the frame should come down 

 between them Within % of an inch of touching the cross-piece. 



The proper size for a hive, as already recommended for this latitude (2,000 cubio 

 inches), will take over seven and less than eight of these frames. I intend to have 

 some of these hives only wide enough for six frames (9 inches) , and then largQ.r, 

 until I can put in ten. At present, I have them only for eight and nine. The advan- 

 tages of different sizes are, that a moderate swarm will fill six frames with combs, 

 and need about all of them for brood : then, if we put on the surplus boxes, wo 

 shall get nearly all the honey stored m them that is collected in June and July, 

 which is of a much better quality than is gathered in August from buckwheat. 



* Notwithstanding my endeavor to be explicit, I find that I failed to be compre- 

 hended by all my readers with regard to the entrance. The directions on pages 

 170 and 203 are not'satisfactory to all. A few have inquired " if I make no other 

 passage but the hole in the side ?" I woald say here, that I consider it of but 

 little consequence whether tho front side is raised for the entrance of the bees, or 4 

 paiss^gc cut out like the one now described. I have hives both ways. 



