132 AUSTRALASIAN 



these frames are made too wide, the ends a full 2 inches. The 

 consequence is that with the separators on there is barely room 

 in the hive for the seven frames, and the last one has to be 

 jammed in, a state of things that should not be tolerated. 

 Everything about a hive should work with the greatest of ease. 

 The top and bottom bars being a quarter of an inch narrower 

 than the ends, they should be nailed on in such a way as to 

 allow an equal projection of the end bars on each side of them, 

 so that when the frames are pushed close together in the hive 

 there will be sufficient space between the tops and bottoms of 

 each two frames for the bees to pass to and fro. 



HALF-STORY FRAMES. 



For raising comb-honey I very much prefer using two half- 

 story supers in place of one full story. My reasons are fully 



Fig. 55.— HALF STORY FRAME WITH SECTIONS AND TIN SEPARATOR, 



explained in another chapter. The section frames for a half- 

 story hive — with the exception of the depth which is only 

 four and a-quarter inches inside — are exactly similar to the 

 larger ones. 



FRAME FORM. 



To aid us in putting the different parts of the frames to- 

 gether true and square, it is absolutely necessary that' we 

 should have a gauge or form for holding the pieces in their 

 proper places while nailing them. The engraving on page 133 

 represents a useful kind of frame form : — 



It is made as follows : — Take an inch board A, 1ft. 8£in. 

 long x 8|in. wide, and plane both edges true. Next cut two 

 battens B b, lfin. thick x 2in. wide x 8|in. long. Out of 

 one end of each cut a shoulder fin. deep x fin. on, as shown, 

 and nail them on edgewise on the ends of the board A. The 

 length between the battens should be the same as the outside 

 length of frame, viz., 17|in. The block C may be an inch or 



