BEE MANUAL. 117 



The interior of the hive is shown in Fig. 39. The brood 

 chamber is intended to contain ten narrow frames of comb ; 

 the super, if worked for extracting, has generally nine of the 

 same frames, the intermediate spaces being left a little wider 

 than in the brood chamber. If worked for comb honey, the 

 super contains only seven broad frames, fitting close together, 

 each frame containing four or eight section boxes of the sort 

 to be described further on. The half -story supers are made to 

 contain either shallow frames, with section boxes, or a section 

 rack. An inside covering mat is placed on top of the frames 

 in the hive or super just under the cover. The stands and 

 the bottom of the floor-board may be painted a dark colour ; 

 the hive itself is better if either white or a light tint ; the 

 top of the roof should in any case be of a pure white, in 

 order the better to cast off the hot rays of the sun in 

 summer. 



These hives can be procured at very moderate prices, and 

 very complete in every respect, from the manufacturers. For 

 the convenience of those who wish to put their own hives 

 together and to save expense in the transport, they can be had 

 in the flat, that is, all the separate parts complete and ready to 

 be nailed together, and. packed as close together as possible in 

 crates or packages containing generally four one-story hives, or 

 three of two stories, or of one and a half. If the beginner 

 decides upon getting his hives in this way, and if there be no 

 hives already in use in his neighbourhood, or no one to show 

 him how to set to work, it will be advisable for him to procure 

 one hive complete and fitted together, to serve as a pattern, 

 and the rest in the flat. 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING. 



To those not skilled in the use of tools, or who have other 

 occupation, it may be found the most profitable to purchase all 

 their hives as they require them. On the other hand, there 

 will always be some having plenty of spare time, who would 

 prefer to occupy a part of it in making their own hives, had 

 they clear instructions how to proceed. I shall now endeavour, 

 with the aid of illustrations, to give plain instructions for 

 making the Langstroth hive, the one I have already advised 

 my readers to adopt. 



