Beekeeping as an Occupation 
11 
properly call typically American (Fig. 20) is a simple box, 
with freely movable but accurately spaced frames, capable 
of any amount of expan¬ 
sion. It is a most efficient 
tool for the beekeeper and 
as fine a home for the bees 
as any hive ever made. It 
is readily moved, easily 
packed for the winter and 
these and other advantages 
come chiefly from the se¬ 
vere simplicity which is de¬ 
manded by business bee¬ 
keepers. The American 
beekeeper has, therefore, no 
reason to envy his co¬ 
workers abroad their elab¬ 
orate and often attractive 
hives. 
This comparison of equip¬ 
ment serves to make clear 
why beekeeping as a profitable business is possible in the 
United States and, in turn, the simplicity of the hive is 
doubtless due to the demands of practical men. The origi¬ 
nal Langstroth hive 
was much more 
elaborate than our 
present hives and, 
with the advance 
of the industry, all 
the superfluous 
parts of the hive 
have been removed 
one by one. The 
present hive, there¬ 
fore, typifies American apiculture of the present day. 
There are still some hives used in the United States which 
Fig. 12. — C.D.B. hive of Ireland. 
