Fig. 28.—Section of improved tin frame-rest: A, folded edge on which frame rests; B and D, nails. (From Gleanings.)
If the frames are accurately made there will then be one fourth inch space at each end of the frame just below the top bar and three-eighths inch at each end of the bottom bar. Between the frames and the bottom board, on which the hive rests, one-half inch space answers, but five-eighths inch is preferable. The width of the hive will depend, of course, upon the number of frames decided upon, 1⅜ inches being allowed for each frame, and three-eighths inch added for the extra space at the side. If a top story to contain frames for extracting is placed over the brood chamber, its depth is to be such as to leave the space between the two sets of combs not over five-sixteenths inch, and in this, as in the lower story, the space between the ends of the frames and the hive wall should be no more than three-eighths inch. A good way to keep rain from beating in between the stories and also to retain the warmth of the bees in outdoor wintering, yet admit of suitable provision for the upward escape of moisture, is to have the second story fit over the top of the lower one, and rest on ledges made by nailing strips around the latter one-half inch below the upper edge. As this makes the upper story nearly 2 inches larger from front to rear than the lower one: it will be necessary when arranging this story for frames to make the front and rear double-walled. This is easily done by tacking on the inside of each end two half-inch strips, on which a halt-inch board is then nailed. These inside end pieces should be only wide enough to reach within three-fourths inch of the top edge of the outer ends, and, like the lower story, should be finished at the top with a metal rabbet for the frames to rest on, or the inside piece may be made to come within three-eighths inch of the top and its upper edge beveled so the frames can not be greatly propolized, an arrangement which answers very well for this story.
Fig. 29.—The Langstroth hive—Dadant-Quinby form—cross section showing construction. (From Langstroth.)
As to the width of hives and consequent number of frames each story is to hold, there has been of late much diversity of opinion. The original Langstroth hive held ten frames in the lower story and eleven frames in the second or top story. A demand for smaller-sized brood chambers and uniformity of the stories having been created, the larger hive-manufacturing establishments gave hives constructed to hold eight frames the most prominent place in their catalogues, and by many it was considered that those who adhered to the older, larger form did so merely through conservatism. But after some years' trial a reaction in favor of larger hives seems to have set in, especially among producers of extracted honey. Many of the latter are finding that with carefully bred queens even twelve-frame brood apartments give the best results. The author's experience of over twenty-five years with frame hives of various sizes and styles, both American and foreign, in widely differing climates, convinces him that to restrict a hive to a capacity of less than ten frames for the brood chamber is, in most localities, undesirable, but it will frequently be found advantageous to contract temporarily the space occupied by the bees. For extracted honey alone, especially in any region having a short flow of honey, twelve-frame capacity is preferable. Thin, movable partitions, known as "division boards," enable one to contract the space at will, and the addition of supers or top stories gives storage room for surplus honey. Some prefer to have the hive in one story holding twice the usual number of frames and contractible with a division board. The entrance is then usually at one end, parallel with the combs, and the surplus honey is obtained from the rear part of the hive, either in sections held in wide frames or it is extracted with a machine from ordinary frames. This plan renders access to all of the frames somewhat easier than when two or more stories are used, but as the methods now most followed involve on the whole less manipulation of individual frames than was formerly deemed advantageous this superiority can not count for much—hardly enough in fact to balance the limitation as to the number of frames and the inconvenience of larger and more unwieldy hive bodies, covers, and bottom boards.
Fig. 30.—The Nonpareil hire. (From Bee-Keeping for Profit.)
Fig. 31.—Dadant-Quinby form of Langstroth hive, open: a, front of brood apartment; b, alighting board; c, movable entrance block; d, cap; e, straw mat; f, carriage-cloth cover for frames; g, g, frames with combs. (From Langstroth.)