86 
BEES AND BEE-KEEPING, 
with the bees. With Mr. Abbott’s plan, the distance 
space is kept by the introduction of broad shoulders, 
which he at first placed on both sides of the ear. 
The giving of the whole interspace (as at bs, bs, Fig. 
29) to opposite sides and ends of the top bar is an 
arrangement he derived from the Author. These 
broad shoulders have two advantages beyond the one 
stated : the fingers are not smeared with propolis, and 
the frame is steadily kept in position by the width 
of base the broad shoulders present ; but the incon- 
veniences and impediments to scientific working that 
their use involves are so great, that I have three 
times abandoned them, after making a serious effort 
at bringing them into use in my own apiary. Indeed, 
the temptation to adopt them vanishes with the intro- 
duction of the iron ear shown at Fig. 22. All the dis- 
advantages of metal ends enumerated at page 66, 
except that relating to the imprisonment of the bees 
around the lugs, are with them intensified, while, in 
addition, the wood by turns swells and shrinks in 
most uncomfortable fashion. The propolisation adds 
grievously to the difficulty of management, and, with- 
out wedging between the ears, the interspace cannot 
be increased for wintering, for giving place temporarily 
to a thickened comb, or even to a queen-cage (now, 
with most of us, a small matter), while for extraction 
they are a serious drawback. Since the ears rest 
upon the hive side {/is, B, Fig. 29), thinned down 
to reduce the contact surface, the protection is least 
where it needs to be greatest. Chaff is recommended 
to be kept during winter between the hive case {/ic) 
and hive side. 
