Sections and Their Adjustment on the Hive 



The standard size of sections is 4!4 x 4J4 inches; at least, this has 

 been the standard for many years, and I think is yet ; but there is con- 

 siderable effort to place upon the market and secure the adoption of a 

 tall section — about 4x5 inches. Its chief advantage is in being more 

 pleasing to the eye — possibly in conveying the impression that it contains 

 more honey than a square form having the same amount of surface. 

 Our windows, our books, our pictures, etc., are made oblong instead of 

 square, because they are more pleasing to the eye, and, for the same 

 reason, a tall section presents a more pleasing appearance than a square 

 one, but I do not consider this point of sufficient importance to warrant 

 a bee-keeper in changing his fixtures in order that he may use the tall 

 section. 



"Beeway" sections are those in which the bees gain access to them 

 through insets, or "beeways,'' cut in the top and bottom bars of the 

 sections ; but of late there has been introduced a new style, called the 

 "plain'' section, in which there are no insets, it being the same width all 

 the way around. Sections of this style are held bee-space apart, and the 

 bees admitted, by the use of what are termed "fence" separators, from 

 their resemblance to a board fence. A fence separator is formed of slats 

 about }i of an inch in thickness, held a bee-space apart by cleats glued 

 or nailed in an upright position to their sides. These cleats, or posts, 

 are of such a thickness, and placed at such a distance apart, upon each 

 side of the separator, that the edges of the side bars to the sections come 

 against them, and are thus held out bee-space from the slats. 



The principal advantage of plain sections and fence separators is 

 that the freer communication thus allowed the bees induces them, from 

 some reason, to build out the combs fuller around the edges and corners, 

 and attach them more perfectly to the sections. This gives the finished 

 product a more attractive appearance, and greatly lessens the danger of 

 breakage in shipment. Another point, although it may be a minor one, 

 is that a plain section is filled fuller of honey; that is, the edges of the 

 wood do not stand out so far above the surface of the comb as they do 

 in the beeway sections. .V filled plain section has a plumper look than 

 a beeway section, the latter having the appearance of being only partly 

 filled. -\ tall plain section may not contain any more honey than a square 



