MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 



43 



16), or stand, we should have a single one-inch board {b, Fig. 16) four inches 

 wider than the hive, and six inches longer. This is nailed on to two pieces of 

 two-by-four-inch scantling {a a Fig. 16), thus raising the hive five inches from 



Fig. 16. 



the ground. These scantling should extend at one end eight inches beyond the 

 board, and this projection beveled from the edge of the board to the lower outer 

 corner of the scantling. Upon this bevel nail a board {d Fig. 16), which shall 

 reach from the edge of the bottom board to the ground. The upper edge of this 

 board should be so beveled as to fit closely to the bottom board. For an open- 

 ing (c Fig. 16) to the hive, I would bevel the middle of the edge of the bottom 

 board, next to the inclined board. At the edge, this bevel should be f of an 

 inch deep and' four inches wide. It may decrease in'*both width and depth as it 

 runs back, till at a distance of five inches it is one-half inch wide and 5-32 of 

 an inch deep. This may terminate the opening, though the shoulder at the end 

 may be beveled off, if desired. 



With this bottom board the bees are near the ground, and with the slanting- 

 board in front, even the most tired and heavily laden will not fail to gain the 

 hive as they come in with their load of stores. No hive should ie more than 

 four inches from the ground, and no hive should be without the slanting alight- 

 ing-board. With this opening, too, the entrance can be contracted in case of 

 robbing, or entirely closed when desired, by simply moving the hive back. If 

 desired, the alighting-board may be separate from the bottom board or stand, 

 and fastened to it by small hooks and staples, so in winter they can be removed, 

 and the hives take less room in the cellar. 



If we only purpose to have our surplus in boxes, or if we prefer a long hive, 

 styled the "ISTew Idea," we have only to make a cover about seven inches high, 

 like the lid of a trunk. This may be the same size as the body of the hive, and 

 fit on with beveled edges, and fastened with hook and staple, the body of the 

 hive having the outer edge beveled, while the cover has the inner edge beveled. 

 Or it may be enough larger to shut over the body, and rest on shoulders formed 

 by nailing inch strips around the body, two inches from the top. Some prefer 

 the upper part to be just like the lower, and occupied by a similar frame. In 

 this case the two should unite with a bevel, as explained above, while the cover 

 may be as just described, except that it need not be more than two inches deep. 



THE FRAMES. 



The form and size of frames, though not quite as various as the persons who 

 use them, are still very different. Some prefer large frames. I first used one 

 10 by 18 inches, and afterward a shallow frame about 7 by 18. The advantage 



