Controllable Hive. Fig. I.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CONSTRUCTION OF CONTROLLABLE HIVES.
ON the opposite page is given [Figure I]. of a perspective view of the Controllable Bee Hive, with the measurements of its exterior parts. The body of the hive is made in two parts, A and B. The lower edges of the upper part B rest upon the cleats C, attached to the outside of the lower part of A, near its upper edge—as will be seen by reference to Figures [I.] and [II.] The middle board D of the bottom is loose, and is held in place by hooks E. The middle board F, at the sides of the lower part A, are loose, hinged at their lower edges, and are held in place when closed by the buttons G. In front of the lower part A, near both its lower and upper edges, are formed slots, or bee passages, H. The lower part A is divided longitudinally into three compartments by two movable partitions. The side compartments are designed to receive the honey boxes J; and the center compartment forms the brood section. To the inner surfaces of the front and rear walls of the brood section are attached boards, forming a double thickness, to secure a more even temperature, keeping out the heat in summer and the cold in winter. The grain of the inner board runs crosswise of the outer one to prevent warping. The upper edges of the inner boards are rebated out five-eighths inch square inside, to receive the ends of the comb frames of the brood section.
Controllable Hive. Fig. II.
[Figure II.] is a perspective view of the Controllable Hive, with the upper part of the case removed, showing the position of the glass honey boxes at the top, with the feeder T in the rear, and also showing the position of the side boxes J, in the large frame O. as shown more clearly in [Figure III]. The inner ends of the side boxes J, next to the brood section, are formed of boards C, narrower than the boxes, leaving side spaces, to allow the bees to pass in and out freely from the brood section to the side boxes. When top boxes and feeder are not on, a board called a honey board is placed over the brood section, fitting very closely, so as to confine the heat, generated by the bees, to the brood section. In winter the brood section is covered by a ventilator made as follows: Take a piece of fine board one-half inch thick. Get out two pieces, each one inch wide and twenty-two and three-eighths inches long, and two pieces of same width each ten inches long. Nail the short pieces on to the ends of the long pieces, forming a frame nine inches wide by twenty-two and three-eighths inches long, inside measurement. Over this frame tack a piece of wire cloth twenty-three and three-eighths inches long, by ten inches wide, of a very fine mesh. This frame will just fit over the brood section, and give a space between the wire cloth and the top of the comb frames of about one and three-eighths inches. Tack the wire cloth on closely, so no bees can escape when the ventilator is in place. This ventilator is to be used only in winter, as directed under the chapter on Wintering.
[Figure III.], on next page, is a perspective view of a set of side surplus honey boxes and their inclosing frame, with measurements of the different parts.
