138 AUSTRALIAN BEE LOBE AND BEE CULTURE- 



and can always be cut down for the making of bee-boxes. For the 

 colder districts the sides of the first named is too thin. The smell 

 of the kerosene is quickly evaporated by putting the cases in the 

 full glare of the sun. The most suitable thickness is that of one 

 inch, or a little less if it is not to be planed. The ends must always 

 be of inch wood, or of sufficient thickness to admit of a rebate 

 (rabbet) for the movable frames to hang freely. The ends of 

 kerosene cases, although not an inch thick, answer very well for 

 the purpose. 



The brood chamber, or body of the hive, is 91 inches deep if 

 a movable bottom (to be hereafter described) be used, but if the 

 bottom be a fixture (though a movable bottom is always prefer- 

 able) it should be 10 inches in depth. For an 8-framed hive the 1 

 ends must be 14J inches — tUat is, if the sides are to be nailed to 

 the ends — but if the ends are to be nailed to the sides an allow- 

 ance must be made for the thickness of the sides. The sides should 

 be 20 inches outside measurement. Therefore, a piece of timber 

 6 ft. x 10 in. is sufficient to make a brood chamber or a full size 

 super. From such a piece of timber, first cut off 28| inches (if 

 the sides are to be nailed to the ends, and it is always better so 

 to do) and work a rebate (rabbet) 3-8 in. plus the thickness of the 

 top bar of the movable frame, and the top bar of such frame 

 should be at least £ inch thick, afterwards cutting it into two 

 equal parts. Of course, each one will be 14J in. x lOin. 



An easier and simpler way of making the rebate, although 

 not so workmanlike, is to plant a strip along the end piece of the 

 frame, and fasten it with fine nails thus : — (a) | x 3-8 in. piece 

 planted on (c) to form the rebate, and fastened with fine nails; 

 (b) rebate, which should be | in. by not less than £ in., for the 

 frame to hang on; (c) 8| in. x 1 in., or a shaving or two less. 

 (aa) 9| in. if the bottom board be a fixture. 



A full-sized super is the same measurements as the brood 

 chamber. It will be noticed that if a movable bottom board be 

 used the depth of the bar-frame (to be hereafter described) will 

 be 9£ inches, thus coming flush with the base of (c), and showing 

 no bee-space — a cleat to form the bee-space is fastened on the bot- 

 tom board. Half-size supers for shallow frames are the same 

 measurements in all except in depth. This will be explained in 

 the article on Frames, etc. 



