HIVES FOR BEE-KEEPERS. 
1 1 I 
is pushed fully forward, the entrance runs the whole 
width of the hive. Drawing the latter back reduces 
the opening to one of 2in., formed by cutting a 
hollow of that width into the floor-board itself. A 
porch (y») may be provided as desired ; but as this is 
not fixed to the hive front, no interchange of parts 
interferes with its position. Cheshire slide-doors, to 
regulate the entrance, usually accompany it. 
The body-boxes are made of two sizes, one (dd) 
accommodating Standard frames, the other {sdd) only 
5Jin. in depth. They are both square in plan, so that 
every storey added may have its frames crossing those 
below it, as in the Figure, in order to miminise brace- 
comb building. The frames, which are, in fact, 
Mr. Simmins’s, are lin. wide, and have the fin. thick 
top bar only i5Yin. or i6in. long; long enough for 
all practical purposes, for it cannot be doubted that 
the I yin. top bar of the Standard frame is not only 
excessive, but that it has been a great impediment 
to hive improvement. The usual |^in. lug is left by 
cutting the top to a shoulder {sk, Fig. 38), against 
which the Jin. thick side bars {sd) are nailed. The 
frame is very solid, but of course more costly than 
those commonly used. All the hive sections fit water- 
tight, one upon the other, without filleting, by means 
of a slightly broken joint (bj, bj, Fig. 37, and A, Fig. 38). 
The l^in. side receives a -^in. rabbet, which is carried 
down -Jin. The bevel {be) put on the outer half of the 
top edge of each hive section throws off water, and 
is thought by Mr. Howard to give that security 
against in-driven rain which the Heddon lacks. 
Two wide or three shallow body-boxes may be 
