Texas Beekeeping. 



47 



Self spacing frames. 



Various patterns of frames 

 are made, but those known 

 as self-spacing frames, such 

 as the Hoffman, are in most 

 common use. As natural 

 comb is found to be spaced 

 1% to 1% inches from 

 center to center, the frames 

 must be spaced accordingly, 

 to be spaced right. This is 

 accomplished by making the 

 end bars of such width that, 

 when the frames are pushed 

 close together, the desired 

 .spacing is secured. In lo- 

 calities where an abundance 

 of propolis is gathered by 

 the bees, an objection to self- 

 spaced frames is that they 

 are glued together more 

 or less, so that their manipulation is difficult. Spacing with nails, 

 staples and other metal spacers, that allow of an easy separation of 

 the frames, are used to some extent, while unspaced frames are pop- 

 ular with many. The self- 

 spaced frames have first 

 place for the beginner and 

 the general beekeeper, how- 

 ever. 



There is no top and bottom 

 to the hive body. These are 

 separate from it, and are 

 differently constructed. The 

 various manipiilations and 

 interchanging of- the hive 



parts afforded by up-to-date hives would not be possible with the 

 bottom and cover nailed to the hive. One of these operations is 

 known as "tiering up," i. e., simply setting one hive body over 

 another; in doing which the nailed-on bottom, or cover, would be 

 in the way. The cover must also be loose, so it can be removed 

 instantly, for rapid examination of the interior of the hive, and 

 to allow putting other hive bodies on top to give the bees more room 

 when needed. 



Showing end-bar spacing. 



HIVE BOTTOMS AND COVERS. 



The bottom board of the hive may be made of a single board, or 

 several boards held together by a cleat at each end. It should be no 

 wider than the hive, but two inches longer, so as to extend in front 

 and afford an alighting board, or landing place, for the bees. On 

 three sides of the upper surface, cleats, %x% inch, are nailed, on 

 which the hive rests, thus raising the frames in it a bee space from 

 the floor. The long opening, left between the two cleats on the sides 



