14 THE FRAME HIVE. 



worker varies with the work it has to do. In summer, when 

 brood-rearing and honey-gathering is at its height, the 

 average duration is, probably, six weeks. Workers emerging 

 in October generally live far into the following spring. 

 Drones live until August or September, and about that 

 time when honey ceases to come in they are worried out of 

 the hive by the workers. 



CHAPTER III. 



The bar-frame, or movable comb hive consists of a box, 

 measuring, inside, fourteen and a-half inches wide by nine 

 inches deep, and from eighteen to twenty-four inches in 

 length. The better class of hives are made with double 

 walls, the space between being filled with wheaten chaff, 

 cork dust, or other cheap non-conductor of heat. In the 

 hive or box a number of frames are suspended by ears or 

 projections at the upper corners, which rest on a ledge pro- 

 vided for the purpose near the upper edge of the box. These 

 frames require to be placed accurately, so that there is a 

 space of nearly one and a-half inches between each from 

 centre to centre. To keep the frames at this distance apart 

 various contrivances are used, such as metal ends, broad- 

 shouldered top bars, and plain top bars, with a bell staple at 

 each end at opposite sides. Each pattern has its advocates 

 and advantages, but probably the last is the one most 

 generally used. The top of the frames should be exactly 

 level with the upper edge of the hive or box, and resting on 

 the top of the frames and hive sides is the quilt, which con- 

 sists of a piece of calico or ticking, and three or four thick- 

 nesses of carpet or flannel. Close to the floor of the hive is 

 the entrance, or flight-hole, which should be about eight 

 inches in length by about half an inch in depth. The 

 bottom of the hive, called the floor-board, extends about 

 six inches beyond the. hive front, to form the flight-board, on . 

 which rest slides, to contract the entrance when necessary. ' 

 Many hives are made so that the floor-board can be removed 

 for cleaning by simply taking out a wedge. This arrange- 

 ment is very convenient for clearing dead bees and debns 



