MOVABLE BOTTOM BOABDS LANGSTROTH SIMPLICITY illVE. 



141 



The above diagram is another pattern, and is still more simple 

 in its construction than that with the V-shaped entrance. The 

 wood for its construction is of the same dimensions as that above 

 described ; but instead of the entrance being cut out from the solid 

 wood, it is formed by cleats being fixed on three sides, as shown 

 on diagram. The short cleats on the end should be the width of 

 the thickness of the wood in the end of hive (7-8 inch), and of 



Bottom board No. 2 for an 8-frame hive. A B or C D 2 ft., or 2J in. longer than the full 

 width of the hive. A or B D 14J in. , or the full width of the hive. 



the same length. So also should the side cleats be the thickness 

 of the side of the hive, and the same length less the width of the 

 end cleats; that is, somewhere about 19 inches. The cleats must 

 be fixed on the surface of the bottom board as shown, and should 

 not be less than 3-8 inch, nor more than J inch in thickness. It 

 must be borne in mind that this last-named bottom board is de- 

 signed for the hives in which the bottom-bar of the frame comes 

 flush with the bottom of the brood chamber or super. The 3-8 

 inch thickness of the oleats forms the bee space, and is a substitute 

 of the extra depth of the brood chamber, etc., thus permitting 

 the brood chamber to be used as a full super or vice versa. This 

 bottom board may be strengthened similarly to the former; or a 

 grooved cleat may be used for that at the end; the grooved cleat 

 aiding in strengthening the board, and doing duty as the end cleat 

 shown in the diagram. To strengthen the forepart of the board 

 a cleat about an inch wide and f inch thick is nailed or screwed, 

 the latter being the better method, on the front of the under side 

 similarly placed on bricks for the purpose of keeping it off the 

 ground. In no case should an entrance be made in the end or 

 side of a hive. If such be done it will be found impossible to sub- 

 stitute the super for the brood-chamber, or interchange one for the 

 other. Of course, it will be observed that the bee entrance of this 

 last-named bottom board is the full width, and differs materially 

 from the former or V-shaped entrance. Nevertheless it can be 



