The Choice of a Hive 



Early in every bee-keeper's life must come the choice of a hive — 

 and a perplexing question it often proves. Probably there is no "best 

 hive" for all persons, locations, and uses ; in fact, a choice is usuall\' 

 more or less of a compromise — the relinquishing of certain advantages 

 for the sake of securing others considered more desirable. The tastes 

 of a bee-keeper, his s\stem of management, the kind of honey produced, 

 the method of wintering, the location, etc., all have a bearing upon the 

 kind of hive that is most desirable ; but the inducements must be great, 

 indeed, that would lead a man to adopt an odd-sirjcd hive or frame. 

 As to size of frame, it is probable that the Langstroth is the most widely 

 used, is well adapted to the production of both comb and extracted 

 honey, and its choice can not be a serious mistake. With the choice 

 of a frame, a decided step has been taken toward the choice of a hi^-u ; 

 in fact, the most impartant question left to be settled is the number 

 of frames to be used in the hive. In those parts of the country blessed 

 with a long honey-flow, or if extracted honey is to be produced, hives 

 holding ten Langstroth frames are desirable. If bees are to be managed 

 in out-apiaries, or upon any plan where the\- are not to receive cluse 

 and constant attention, large hives possess the advantage of containing 

 sufficient stores to avoid danger from the bees star\'ing in times i>[ 

 scarcity. The argument sometimes used in favor of large hives, that 

 they give the queens more room to lay, is decidedly fallacious. We do 

 not keep queens simply In "give them a chance to lay," but to secure 

 the prompt and thorough filling of the brood-combs with eggs, and 

 this is more surel\- accomplished by using a hive (jf moderate size, one 

 below rather than above the laying capacity of the average queen. It is 

 true that larger \ields per colony may be secured with large hives, but 

 not any larger yields per comb. Where the honey-flow is short, or 

 comb hone) is produced, a smaller hive, one holding (mlv eight Lang- 

 stroth combs, has its advantages. 



The hive body for holding the frames need be nothing more than 

 simply a box with plain square corners, without top or bottom, having 

 rabbets on the upper inner edges of the end-pieces, for supporting the 

 frames. If a hive is nailed up with the heart side of the lumber out, 

 it is less inclined to warp. A plain simple board, cleated at each end. 



