and its Economic Management. 131 



very practically arranged hive with frames i6-inches by 

 lO-inches, the more suitable size for commercial, as indeed 

 for all highly profitable purposes. 



THE ECONOniC HIVE. 



This is a most simple and yet substantial hive, made 

 from |-inch white deal. It contains nine frames and two 

 dummies, and the width of the hive inside, measuring 

 across the frames, is 16J inches. By removing the dummies 

 there is room for eleven frames for ordinary spacing, or as 

 designed by me for close spacing in the first instance, 

 tvvelve may be used only ;J-inch apart. I have practised 

 crowding and close spacing ever since foundation first 

 came into use, finding it gave a more compact brood nest 

 and less room for stores below. 



The same idea has since been brought forward in 

 America, with the claim that it prevented the issue of 

 swarms, as the bees would not, it was supposed, store in 

 such shallow cells as this arrangement enforced, and on 

 the other hand would be prevented from breeding in the 

 thicker store combs Csections) above. In neither case, 

 however, is this correct, as I have many times found that 

 not only do bees store and cap combs which are even 

 thinner than required for brood, but also that the thick- 

 ness of the combs in sections above is not the least 

 hindrance to the bees breeding there, as they simply 

 reduce the length of the cells to suit their purpose 

 should the queen be crowded by mismanagement below. 



The Economic has a floor composed of one piece of 

 board i/J inches by 11 inches, and another 5 J inches 

 wide of the same length. The two are halved together, 

 and a J-inch rabbet cut out round the upper edge to 

 keep wet from settling under. Another 5^-inch board, 

 bevelled on the edge, forms the flight board, and is 



