170 



THE BEE-HIVES. 



346. The rabbet in which the frames hang is made with a 

 sheet-iron shoulder (fig. 75), supporting the frame. This can 

 be dispensed with altogether, but in such cases, the rabbet 

 should be only deep enough for the frame to hang as repre- 

 sented in fig. 59. The plain wooden rabbet is objectionable, 

 because the bees glue the frame shoulders with propolis. 



Fig. 79. 



SHOWING THE TOOL USED TO BEND THE WIRE BRACES. 



A hive has been devised by E. T. Abbott of Missouri, which 

 has a metal rabbet notched for the frames to hang at proper 

 distances, fig. 76. This rabbet which we now use in some of 

 our hives is made by us quite shallow, so the frames may be 

 slipped along with but little difficulty in case of need. A 

 Langstroth hive made with these improvements as also with 



Fig. 80. 



SHOWING HOW THE WIRE IS REMOVED. 



a bottom guide as in fig. 78, is now sold extensively for comb 

 honey production (fig. 77). 



347. The Spacing-wire, an improvement on Quinby's wire 

 brace, to space the fi'ames at the bottom, is found very con- 

 venient in hives as deep as this. It is also useful in indicat- 



