The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1871-11-10
About Bee Hives.


An experienced bee-keepeT gives his
opinions on Bee Hives in the Rural
New Yorker, and as they may be Of
interest to readers who are interested
in bee culture, we republish them:
we are frequently asked, which is
the best bee hive; if this or that patent
il not q good one or the best, &c. In
che first place, there is no best bee
hive, nor will there ever be. A hive
that will meet the wants and require
msnts of one man, would utterly fail
In the hands Of another.
A movable comb hive of some kind
is Indispensable to success. They
should be simple in construction, and
allow Of the easy handling OF the
frames. Avoid all "mOth proof or
I'miIler trap" hives, as they are of no
value whatever to any one. a hive
OF medium depth Of comb will give
Hnore box honey, where the bexes are
placed on TOP Of the hive, than one of
SFeater DEPTH, while the bees are
more apt to be lost in winter. Indeed,
tSees that are kept in shallow hives
are almost sure to be lost in winter,
miles, the hives are protected in some
way, which is generally neglected by
the bee-keepers. We call hive Ii
shadow when the combs are from sew
An to nine inches in depth; medium al
Sfon ten TO twelve inches, and deep
when the combs are from fourteen to
Sighteen inches In depth.
Now q deep hive will winter bees
better, and give earlier swarms than
a shallow enc, when the bees are kept
I'm the ordinary way. A hive should
he comI act in form, permit ofthOrOugh
VentIlstion, without the admission OF
light give plenty OF surplus storage
SUdEz easily accessible to The tees, and
80 constructed as to be adopted to the
honey extractor. We have seen and
ssge1 great many patent hives, and
hives that are not patented, but have
not, as yet, found one that suited Us.
The one great fault with most patent
hives Is that they combine so many
poor points in their construction with
10 few good ones, that they are OF little
practical use TO the aparian.
Now, we have devised hive Of our
own invention don't be frightened
reader, for It is not patented, nor will
IT be- which, II it shall prove to be
what We expect of it, viii combine
more advantages, with fewer Office
tionR, Il an any hive now in use II
can be very cheaply constructed, there
being no TRbbitinS about it, not even
for the frames to hang upon, while
they can be removed easier than any
we have yet seen. It is so C instructed
that no litter can accumulate in the
hive to harbor the moth worm, while
no snow or Fain can beat into it, eve n
during the severest storm. 1t can be
ased IS s one or two-story hive, is
perfectly adapted to the moth-extrac-
TOR, while honey can be secured either
fn flames or boxes. 1t can be so var
led IN It's construction as 10 meet the
wants OF all who keep bees, either on
. limited or extensive scale.
There have been so many worse than
useIess hives palmed off upon the bee
keeping community, as Icing just the
hive needed, that I do not propose to
recomend anything TO them that ]
have not thoroughly tested myself. AS
regards the size of hives, different
apairians differ widely in their views.
we would not recommend one less
than , 900 cubic inches inside the
frame s. We would not use less than
zen frames hive, while eleven is better
we can then remove two frames from
fhe hive in the fall, thus giving the
bees room to cluster in between tbs
combs, and lesseping the danger o.
their molding.