BEE MANUAL. 115 
had been trying different forms of frame hives, but none pleased 
me so well as the Langstroth. I finally adopted it in its most 
simplified form as a ten-framed hive, and now, after seven 
years’ experience, I have the fullest confidence in recommending 
it to all who require a good hive ; and this confidence is sup- 
ported by the knowledge that it has given entire satisfaction to 
all who have heretofore adopted it upon my recommendation. 
Many thousands of these hives are now in use throughout 
Australasia. It has practically become the standard for these 
colonies, and that is another and a very urgent reason why it 
should be adopted by beginners. I would not, however, wish 
it to be supposed that I lay too much stress upon the form of 
the frame or hive, or that the novice should entertain any idea 
that success depends on the precise form of either. Without 
intelligent management the best hive may be of no more value 
to its owner than a common box. Bees may be Kept in either ; 
but it has been well observed that ‘‘everyone who keeps bees 
is not necessarily a bee-keeper,” the latter term as now used 
being synonymous with “ bee-master.” 
There is one rule, in the correctness and importance of which 
the advocates of every variety of hive will agree. Whatever 
sort may be adopted, all the hives in the apiary should be the 
same, and none other should be tolerated amongst them, except 
of course for experimental purposes. 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 
Fig. 38 gives a view of a complete Langstroth hive, as now 
generally made and used in New Zealand. It consists of four 
principal parts—the floor-board, the hive, or brood chamber, 
the super, and the cover. The first two and the last are 
indispensable parts of any hive; the super may consist of a 
whole story (same as the brood chamber), or of a half-story 
or there may be two or even more supers between 
the brood chamber and the cover. The outside dimensions of 
the brood chamber and of the one-story super are 204 inches 
by 16 inches, by 10 inches in height, including the rabbet, or 
92 inches from joint to joint. The half-story supers are, of 
course, the same in length and breadth, but only 5? inches in 
height, including the rabbet. The. bottom, or floor-board, is 
the same width as the brood chamber, but four inches longer ; 
