148 A Modern Bee-Farm 



possible, in opposition to the usual plan of adopting a 

 wide supering surface above a shallow chamber. The 

 latter does not give sufficient power below, neither does it 

 properly economise power for the rapid and perfect pro- 

 duction of section honey above it, as does a narrow but 

 more populous cluster among our eight large frames, 

 which arrangement provides for the more economic dis- 

 tribution and conservation of heat. 



The principle of a narrow deep cluster must be con- 

 tinued throughout the whole tier of sections as well, and 

 hence each crate of sections contains only three rows of 

 seven sections. I have tried varying numbers upon different 

 surfaces and find it a serious error to attempt to crowd 

 many sections upon an extended surface. 



The section crates are double walled all round, and 

 packed between, giving the most complete protection for 

 the rapid perfecting of the combs of honey. The roof is 

 made in the same manner as that illustrated for the 

 Economic. 



SUPER CRATES 



to hold from 18 to 21 sections, can be made as follows: 

 Put together a plain box of the size desired with neither 

 top nor bottom, and wide enough to take three 4j-inch 

 sections across besides the thickness of rails supporting 

 them. Such rails are in the form of an inverted T ! the 

 sections resting upon the ledges which must not be more 

 than |-inch thick, giving that space between the sections 

 and top bars of the frames. Any space left at the one 

 end of the sections must be closed by a piece of wood to 

 act as a dummy. This I prefer to fit only just tight, as 

 both wedges and springs are quite unnecessary. With 

 crates in general use for common hives, the 



