150 THE BEE-HIVES. 



303. From the foregoing, it appears that a square frame 

 is the best for breeding. But square frames are objection- 

 able. If they are small, they do not have enough space in 

 each frame for Winter supplies, above or behind the brood. 

 If they are large, they are unhandy, and their depth makes 

 them difficult to take out without crushing bees. We have 

 used some sixty hives, American frames, 12 by 12, for 

 eighteen years or more, and this is our greatest objection to 

 them. 



304. A deeper frame is still more objectionable for the 

 same reason,* and because the surplus cases on top are too 

 remote from the brood. (278.) In early Spring, the bees 

 have more difficulty in keeping the lower end of such frames 

 warm, as the heat always rises, and a part of it is wasted, 

 warming up the stores, which in this hive are all above the 

 brood. In hot Veather, the combs are also more apt to 

 break down from heat and weight combined. Such a hive 

 is deficient in top-surface for the storing of honey in boxes. 



305. It is thus evident, that Mr. Langstroth and Mr. 

 Quinbyt were right in using frames of greater length than 

 depth, especially as these frames allow of more surplus 

 room above the brood, a matter of some importance. 



306. But we must beware of excess in anything. A 



• The deeper the tramee, the more difflcnlt it is to make them hang trut on 

 the rabbets, and the greater the difSculty of handling them without crushing 

 the bees or breaking the combs. 



t The late Mr. M. Quinby, of St. Johnsville, New York, in calling my 

 attention to some stocks, which he had purchased in box Mves of this shape, 

 informed me that bees wintered in them about as well as in tall hives , the bees 

 drawing back among their stores in cold weather, just as in tall hives they 

 draw up among them. My hive, as at first constructed, was fourteen and one- 

 eighth inches from front to rear, eighteen and one-eighth inches from side to 

 side, and nine inches deep, holding twelve frames. After Mr. Quinby called 

 my attention to the wintering of bees in his long box-hives, I constructed one 

 that measured twenty-ftinr inches flrom front to rear, twelve inches from side 

 to side, and ten inches deep, holding eight frames. I have since preferred to 

 make my hiyes eighteen and one-eighth inches from front to rear, fourteen and 

 one-eighth inches from side to side, and ten inches deep. Mr. Quinby pre- 

 ferred to make my movable frames longer and deeper.— L. L. %,. 



