THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS 1 JOURNAL. 
31 
you can see at once through the glass division 
whether there is honey in the first frame, and 
if this is the case, you can be certain that the 
next two or three frames are full. These you 
can take out and replace with empty ones 
almost without disturbing the bees at all, or 
interfering with their work. The bees will 
work all the harder to replace the stores that 
they have been deprived of. Now, in the 
Langstroth or any other hive that opens at 
the top, this cannot be so readily done, as in 
these the bees store the honey in the side 
frames, and the whole hive must be opened up, 
and the occupants disturbed before you can 
even ascertain if there are any combs ready 
for the extractor. Further, I may remark 
that as all hives that are opened at the top 
cannot be placed one over the other they 
require more room in the beehouse, while the 
Berlepsch hives can be placed on shelves in two 
rows, one over the other, the lower shelf about 
18 inches from the ground, and the upper 
about 4 feet, the hives being about 18 inches 
apart, so the same space will hold double the 
number without any inconvenience therefrom, 
and the bee master can conduct his operations 
from behind with much greater ease and com- 
fort to himself and his industrious little 
workers, as he is well shaded from the sun, 
and he does not interfere at all with the labour 
of the various colonies Another objection 
I have to the American hives is, that they 
generally have no division between the brood 
and the honey room, consequently the bees 
are likely to carry pollen up sometimes, and 
mix it with the honey, which spoils the 
flavour and taste of the latter, and even the 
Queen may perhaps ascend and commence to 
lay her eggs in the honey frames, while in 
my hive, as they have to pass up through a 
small hole from one room to the other, they 
will not carry pollen with them, and there is 
little danger of the Queen ever ascending from 
below. 
In the brood room, also, there is no division 
board either, and consequently a weak swarm 
has as much room as a large one, and from 
practical experience it is found that a weak 
swarm will do better if it has not too much 
space. Now in my hive the space can be 
arranged to suit the swarm, as a sufficient 
number of frames, say four er five, can be put 
in, and then the glass division can be put in 
and closed all up till the frames are nearly 
filled, when more can be added as required, 
till the room is full, and then they can be let 
up into the honey room. Then when the 
honey season is over, and winter coming on, 
some of the frames can be taken out, leaving 
them five or six only, as they do not want so 
many combs as in summer, and can keep them- 
selves much warmer in a smaller space. In 
conclusion, it is found that bees seldom fasten 
the comb to the bottom of the frame, but leave 
a small open space to pass through, neither do 
they fasten them to the sides of the frames 
wit hin three or four inches of the bottom, so in 
a frame 10 inches high the comb is fastened 
only about 6 inches down from the top, while 
in a frame 14 inches high it is 4 inches more 
on each side, and consequently the combs in 
the high narrow frames are much more secure 
for transporting or extracting, as well as being 
easier handled. Moreover, as already stated, 
they are more in accordance with the nature of 
the bees, and a comb only 8 inches wide will 
be built straighter than one double that width. 
The comparison I have now drawn between 
the two kinds of hives should, I think, con- 
vince any unprejudiced person of the 
superiority of the llerlepsch in almost every 
respect, and I shall be happy to afford any 
further information on the subject that I can, 
or if anyone is desirous of seeing my hives he 
has only to come and see me at the Italian Bee 
Company’s Apiary, at Parramatta, when I 
shall have much pleasure in showing him 
every particular with regard to the practical 
working of the hive just described. I might 
add to the foregoing that section boxes can be 
used in the Berlepsch Hive, and it is most 
suitable, and well adapted for them, but I need 
not enter upon this subject at present, as I shall 
probably treat of it at a future time, and for 
the beginner I think the small frames are the 
best, and the bees store honey quicker in 
them. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
(To the Editors of the Australian B eeheepers' 
Journal.) 
The Beekeepers’ Club, formed some time ago, 
is without the least doubt doing a great 
amount of good, but in my estimation mainly 
the beekeepers about the metropolis are those 
who derive real benefit from it. I think the 
time has now fully come when branch associa- 
tions should be formed throughout the colonies, 
and once a year a Beekeepers’ Convention held) 
to which delegates should be sent from every 
district, to report on their successes, &c. 
The question, however, arises, how can we 
Set the respective districts at once to take 
action in this important matter P Now, 
gentlemen, I think it could be done very easily 
if an experienced beekeeper were engaged by 
the Melbourne association for the purpose to 
