§ IX. THE WOODBURY FRAME HIVE.
I. Wood.—The late Mr. Woodbury's "Bar-and-Frame Hive," as originally made, consists of a wooden box, fourteen inches and a half square inside, and nine inches deep. The actual habitable space inside is lessened by the room occupied by the frames, of which there are ten; these rest on a rabbet a little below the surface, leaving a space of three-eighths of an inch between the upper side of the bars and the crown-board. This allows a free passage on the top for the bees, entirely obviating the necessity of making excavations in the crown-board, as has hitherto been recommended. The frames are nearly an inch wide, and rest in notches, with spaces of half an inch between them; they extend to within three-eighths of an inch of the floor-board, so as to hang without touching any part, leaving about the same distance from the sides. It will be seen that there is thus a free passage for the bees on every side, so that they are kept from coming in contact with the sides of the hive. Our illustration shows the hive open, and exposes to view the top of the ten bars and frames, as they range front and back. A window is also shown; this is placed in the figure over the entrance, but the proper position would be just opposite. The drawing is made so as to show back and front at once.
As before mentioned, the stock hive has ten frames—each thirteen inches long by seven and a quarter high (inside measurement), with a five-eighths of an inch projecting piece at each upper end, which rests in the notches at back and front. We have placed this hive first in our list of modern frame hives in accordance with the part it has played in rendering them popular in this country as explained in the preceding section.
2. Straw.—Subsequently to the introduction of the above wood hive Mr. Woodbury recommended that the stock hive should be made of straw, of exactly the same dimensions; this material being warmer in winter, cooler in summer, more equable in temperature at all times, slightly ventilating, and allowing of absorption. Bees, during, cold weather, cluster together to generate the requisite degree of heat; the temperature of the interior of the hive being thus so much higher than the external atmosphere, a good deal of moisture condenses at the top and on the sides of the hive. The straw, as before stated, prevents this dampness hanging about within, and tends to keep the inmates more healthy.
The square straw hives, and a machine for making them, exhibited in the Austrian department of the International Exhibition of 1862, suggested the idea of employing that material for English frame hives. We have had a machine made resembling the one exhibited, and suited to the size in use by us, by which our hive-maker is able to manufacture neat square hives in straw. These have a wood frame at top, an inch deep, with the requisite notches to allow the ten comb-frames to hang. A similar frame forms the base, the straw being worked between. An inch projection is left on all sides of the floor-board beyond the exterior of the hive, from which it is slightly chamfered down. An entrance, four inches wide, is cut out of the substance of the board, beginning at the edge, and continuing on the same level until inside the hive, where it slopes upwards. This entrance is about three-eighths of an inch high where the hive crosses it.
These straw hives have been generally made without windows, as Mr. Woodbury and other scientific apiarians have so preferred them. They have considered glass windows unsuitable for winter, because then moisture condenses on the glass. There is no doubt that the having a peephole or two in a hive adds very agreeably to its value for amateur bee-keepers, and, to meet the wishes of such, we have had straw hives constructed with windows. It is not every one who would like to lift out the frames as often as is necessary for an inspection of the state of the colony, nor perhaps is it advisable to be often thus meddling. The windows have also a very neat appearance. We have hives with one, and some with two and three windows; of course a little extra expense is incurred where these are made, but that is not objected to by those who approve of the additional convenience. The crown-board (if a straw top can be called by that name) has, like the hive, a frame of wood all round, and a square piece of wood in the centre, with a two-inch hole; this hole is for the purpose of administering food, in a mode to be explained hereafter. A circular block of wood, four inches in diameter, closes the opening.
3. Glass.—Some bee-keepers like to be able to make a full and daily inspection of the hive; we have therefore prepared a few hives, constructed of wooden frames enclosed on all sides and on the top with window-glass. The dimensions are precisely the same as those before mentioned, and allow the same number of bars and frames (ten). The crown has a round hole cut in the glass to admit of feeding. The four sides are constructed of double glass, to preserve the bees from variations of temperature. We cannot, however, recommend this hive for a winter residence for the bees; we should prefer lifting the combs out and placing them in a straw hive of similar construction, to pass through the ordeal of the winter season ([Chap. V. § xx.]). Such a hive is an object of much interest, as in it the whole commonwealth of bees is exposed to view; and it need not be obscured from daylight, provided it be protected from sun and rain. All the external woodwork can be stained, varnished, or made of polished mahogany; so that the appearance of the glass frame hive is extremely neat, and much approved of.