HOW TO KEEP BEES. 9 



aginary rather than real. During the rest of the year, however, 

 such hives are some help to the bees, but in this climate the advan- 

 tages are not commensurate with the cost and inconvenience. An 

 outer case answers the same purpose and is more convenient. (See 

 Figure 3). 



Fig. 3.— Outer Case. 



Hives of different sizes and proportions are used and advocated by 

 different persons. They are designed to meet some need of the bee- 

 keeper, or are based on some theory of bee habits, but with one ex- 

 ception it is believed they all call for a lot of attention and manipula- 

 tion at critical times. The average person will do well to avoid 

 them. There is one type of hive, however, which is designed to 

 minimize labor and give average results. It is known as the "Let 

 Alone" hive. The type was originally exploited by Gen. D. L. 

 Adair, in the late '60 's, and was then called the " Long Idea " hive. 

 Some few years ago Mr. Allen Latham of Norwich, Conn., experi- 

 mented with it, and finally developed the present type which he has 

 called the " Let Alone." It is approximately thirty-six inches long, 

 twenty inches wide, and eighteen inches high. In the Adair hive 

 the entrance was in the middle of the long side, in the Latham hive 

 it extends across one end. Mr. Latham had the advantage of an 

 invention which Adair had not, namely, the so-called queen-excluding 

 metal. Also Mr. Latham is a very careful student of bee habits. 



