BEGINNINGS. 35 



Reports from all sides said that bees must be 

 kept in movable-comb hives.4 Early in my read- 

 ing I learned that several different frames were 

 in use, for holding the combs, and that each frame 

 had its eager partisans. It was clear from the re- 

 ports that either of the frames could be successfully 

 used by a good manager. It was not easy for me 

 to decide which was best for my purpose. But a 

 decision must be made. After many days spent in 

 considering the matter, weighing testimony from 

 all sides as it came before me in the books and jour- 

 nals, looking as much as possible into the future and 

 its development of my business, I decided upon 

 using the Gallup frame. 3 I cannot now and here 

 give all the reasons that led me to this decision. 

 Perhaps when this record is finished the reasons 

 will be sufficiently manifest. 



As to hives, it appeared that those of plainest 

 and simplest construction were best. On hives and 

 frames there was no patent of any value. The 

 Langstroth patent, which covered the movable- 

 comb principle, had expired some years before. 

 I concluded to use a perfectly plain box, with- 

 a lid like a trunk, long enough to hold twelve 

 Gallup frames. These hives were to be so made 

 that one could be set on top of another, making a 

 second story to serve as a surplus receptacle to be 

 worked for either comb or extracted honey. In 



