56 
THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
containing such cells is called worker-comb. 
Drones are reared in larger cells a quarter of 
an inch between the sides, four measuring 
one inch. Such comb is called drone-comb. 
7. Brood- combs are of a certain thickness, 
worker-combs being about seven-eighths of an 
inch, and drone-combs about one and a quarter 
inch thick. 
8. Both sizes of cells are used for storing 
honey, and these vary greatly in length. 
Should these honey cells be afterwards used 
for brood, they are reduced to the length 
required. 
9. There are sometimes cells of a different 
shape called queen-cells. These are round, 
resemble somewhat an acorn, are about an inch 
in length, and one-third of an inch across. 
They usually hang with their mouths down- 
wards, and are generally found at the edges of 
the comb. 
10. Queen-cells are constructed of a mix- 
ture of wax and pollen, making them porous, 
and are covered with a number of depressions, 
which give them greater strength. The walls 
are thick and much material enters into their 
composition, which, as soon as the queen is 
hatched, is used elsewhere, the cell being cut 
down until it resembles a small acorn-cup. 
11. The cappings of brood-cells are porous, 
and consist of a mixture of wax and pollen, 
those of honey-cells being made of wax only. 
12. If the hives are furnished with strips of 
comb the bees will continue them down, and 
they will act as guides. Comb may be con- 
structed parallel to the entrance or at right 
angles to it, the direction being determined 
by the guides. 
VIII. — Hives with Moveable and Fixed 
Combs. 
1. According to the old style of beekeeping 
a swarm was placed into a skep, and the bees 
were allowed to fill it with combs, which they 
built in any direction they liked. In such 
skeps the bees attach the combs to the top 
and sides, so that they form part of the dwell- 
ing and cannot be removed from the hive 
without cutting them out ; boxes were worked 
in a similar way. This is called the fixed- 
comb system. 
2. According to the improved modern sys- 
tem of beekeeping, the swarm is placed into a 
box fitted with frames, to which are fixed, on 
the under side of the top-bar, strips of comb, 
or comb-foundation, which guide the bees and 
induce them to build their combs in the direc- 
tion in which the beekeeper wishes them to 
be. The bees do not attach the combs to the 
sides of the hive, but build them inside the 
frames. These frames of comb can be easily 
taken out, tlieir position inside the hive 
altered, or they can be removed and replaced 
by others. This is called the moveable-comb 
system. 
3. In order to derive the greatest advantage 
from the moveable-comb system it is very 
important that only one size of frame be used 
in the apiary, and this must fit into every hive. 
4. The British Beekeepers’ Association 
adopted some years ago a Standard frame,* 
which has come into general use, and we 
advise the beginner to use no other. The 
outside dimensions are 14 inches long by 8} 
inches deep, the top bar being 17 inches long, 
f of an inch thick, the bottom bar I of an 
inch, and the side bars I of an inch thick, the 
width being § of an inch. 
5. The hives should be make so as to leavo 
a \ of an inch passage at the ends of the 
frames, and not less than f inch at the bottom. 
The dimensions of a hive to suit the Standard 
frame would be 141 inches wide and 8J inches 
high, inside measurement. The length will 
be in proportion to the number of frames used, 
allowing 1 \ inches for each frame. The hive 
can be extended to take any number of frames, 
but generally ten or eleven are used. For a 
ten-frame hive, placing them at 1 J inches from 
centre to centre 15 inches will be required, and 
this space will easily take eleven frames when 
they are wanted closer together, or at a dis- 
tance of If inches from centre to centre. 
6. The frames are frequently provided with 
broad shoulders, or metal ends, to keep them 
the proper distance apart, and these have en- 
tirely superseded distance-pins, nails, staples, 
screw-eyes, &c., used formerly so extensively 
abroad and adopted by some beekeepers here. 
Metal ends are made of different patterns, 
Carr’s having the advantage that the bee- 
keeper is able to alter the distance of the 
frames from 1| to li inches from centre to 
centre. 
7. The projecting ends of the frames rest on 
the top edges of the hive, which is here l-inch 
lower than the sides. When the frames are 
in the hive the top edges of this and the upper 
sides of the top-bars will be level. 
8. One or two division-boards are necessary 
for each hive, so as to be able to reduce its 
size to the strength of the colony. The 
division-boards fit close inside the hive, and 
are placed on either side of the frames, the 
hive being made a little longer to receive 
them. 
9. A moveable bottom board must be pro- 
vided as well as an entrance at least S inches 
long and 1 inch in depth. This entranoe can 
be closed more or less as needed by means of 
slides or blocks. In front of the entrance an 
alighting board should extend to some con- 
siderable distance, and slope to the ground. 
10. Over the tops of the frames is placed 
what is called a quilt, usually consisting of a 
piece of unbleached calico, and three or four 
thicknesses of drugget, or a chaff cushion, box, 
or some suitable warm material. 
1 1 . The hive must have a roof constructed 
in such a way that there will be room under it 
The dimensions here given are for the British Stan- 
dard which are much less than the Australian .Standard or 
Langstroth frame. 
