FRAMES, SELF-SPACING 
381 
device, forming either a part of the frame 
itself or a part of the hive. Under Spac¬ 
ing op Frames, elsewhere, and under Ex¬ 
tracting. the distances that frames should 
be apart are discussed. Some prefer l 1 /^ 
inches from center to center; but the ma¬ 
jority prefer 1% inches. Self-spacing 
frames are those that, when put into the 
hive, are spaced automatically, either 1% 
or iy 2 inches from center to center. Loose 
or unspaced frames differ from them, in 
that they have no spacing device connected 
with them, and are, therefore, when placed 
in the hive, spaced by eye—or, as some 
the parts of the frames that come in con¬ 
tact, he will not kill any bees. The fact 
that some of the most extensive beekeepers 
of the world are using self-spacing frames, 
and the further fact that the number of 
self-spaeing-frame users is constantly in¬ 
creasing, shows that this supposed bee-kill¬ 
ing is more fancied than real. When frames 
are handled but two or three times a year, 
as is now the practice of some of the best 
beekeepers, all these objections lose their 
force to a large extent. 
There are many styles of self-spacing 
frames. Those most commonly used in this 
How the Quinby frame hooks on to the bottom .—From Cheshire 
have termed it, “by guesswork.” Such 
spacing results in more or less uneven 
combs; and beginners, as a rule, make very 
poor work of it. The advocates of self- 
spacing frames claim that they get even, 
perfect combs, comparatively few burr- 
combs, and that, without any guesswork, 
the combs are spaced accurately and 
equally distant from one another. Self¬ 
spacing frames are always ready for mov¬ 
ing, either to an outyard, to and from the 
cellar, or for ordinary carrying around the 
apiary. Unspaced frames, on the con¬ 
trary, while they are never spaced exactly, 
often cannot be hauled to an out-apiary, 
over rough roads, without having sticks be¬ 
tween them, or something to hold them in 
place. 
It is contended by some also, that self¬ 
spacing frames can be handled more rap¬ 
idly. (See Frames and Manipulation of 
Colonies.) On the other hand, the advo¬ 
cates of the unspaced frame urge, as an 
objection, that the self-spacers kdlj the 
bees. This depends. The careless operator 
may kill a good many bees. If he uses a 
little common sense, a little patience, ap¬ 
plying a whiff or two of smoke between 
country will be described first, and then 
some of the others that are now used or 
have formerly been used in Europe. Among 
the first-mentioned are the closed-end Quin¬ 
by, the Danzenbaker, the Heddon, the Hoff¬ 
man, the thick-top staple-spaced, metal¬ 
spaced Hoffman, and the nail-spaced. 
The closed-end Quinby is, as its name 
indicates, one whose end-bars are wide their 
entire length. The top and bottom bars 
are one inch wide. These closed uprights, 
or ends, when they come in direct contact, 
cause the combs which they contain to be 
spaced accurately from center to center. 
The cut at A shows one such frame. Sev¬ 
eral of the closed-end frames are made to 
stand, and have very often been called 
“standing frames.” Mr. Quinby, in order 
to keep such frames from toppling over, 
invented the strap-iron hook on one coirner, 
as shown re-engraved from Cheshire; h is 
the hook that engages the strap iron ip in 
the bottom-board ) gr is a groove to admit 
the hook, and at the same time render it 
possible to catch under the strap iron, as 
shown in cut. 
The combined end-bars make the end of 
the hive, and these hooks are therefore on 
