The farmer and mechanic., 1910-04-19
Ey r G. Herna an.

S>N
select a substantial hive to when &C
cess NAV be easily obtained. 1n'
Ianestroth hive is the most gene
alIv advised for the amateur Iher'
IS no patent on this device, and II cai
be made by any apiarist.
The chief excellence of the modeTr
hive is the movable frames, when the
hive is opened the frames containing
the combs can easily be removed, the
combs examined, changed in any way
the bee-keeper pleases, and returned
quickly.
To get the most out of hive o.
whatever construction, it is necessar!
to select for it good material, and the
chief factors are durability, saving IL
strength in handling, and time III
manipulation.
Pine or cedar would be excellent
lumber for this purpose on account
Of their lightness, but, whatever lum-
Der is used, that which is light. free
from knots. easily worked, and not
easy to split or warp, should be
selected.
If 1T is the intention to make hives
the capacity of eight frames, get some
thoroughly dry boards planed on one
or both sides. nine and "a half inches
In width
Usually I get boards about ter
inches wide, and plane them down tC
the right width after they have been
sawed into pieces Of the proper length
The lengths are twenty inches for the
sides, and twelve and an eighth inches
for the end of the hives.
rabbet these hive ends without
the use OF any machinery or power
except a common hand saw. Having
the rabbet sawed out. the work of
making a hive body is almost done.
The mailing should be started upon a
perfectly flat surface.
Ii is best to have a kind Of plat
form a little larger than the hive
with cleat strongly nailed at one
edge for bumper to nail against :;
and another Cleat nailed on another
edge at right angles to the first one.
The mailing can be finished by turn
ing the hive on its side. and the hive
corners can be kept at right angles
by using square. When the hive
is nailed together, then put in the tin
rabbets
You need not gouge out any hand
holes by which to lift the hives 1t
IS easier to make cleats six or eight
inches long. planed on their upper
cd geS, and Sianting outward and
downward: with the ends Whitfield
round so that they Will shed water
one Of these can be nailed on each
sioe Of the hive and Will make lifting
the hive easy. IN mailing a hive
there is a mistake many times made
IN being careless in the driving of the
nails
Nails should be driven more or less
'toein2.' for a nail driven in with
the grain Of the wood will draw out
more easily than if put in Il little
cross grain. Then, careless driving
of the nail will result sometimes in it's
breaking out at the point. splitting a
portion of the board and weakening
that portion of the hive
For cover and bottom boards / get
lumber fourteen inches in width using
the best for covers and the poorest
for bottom boards.
Sometimes / make the bottom of
bottoms aHe s<wed exactly two feet
long, and have cleats two inches
square nailed under each end
The cleat at the back end Of the
bottom board is nailed about one-half
inch from the end for convenience In
lifting, and the cleat in the front is
nailed flush with the end for the con-
Venience Of the bees.
Lath can generally be found of the
right thickness to make the three
ele hth inch bee-Space for the bottom
board. If too thick it is not much
work to reduce them with a plane
To get the most out Of a beehive
it should have q we'll made telescop-
ing cover, and sitting over at least
three inches. 1t makes but little diff
ference whether the top is gable or
flat, provided the roof IS not too
steep.
This cover should telescope not
only over the super but over any por-
lOn OF the hive. / have never ADOPT
ed the cheaper way Of making hive
cap OF the same size as the body Our
caps are all made larger than the
bodies, and telescopes on them in the
old way.
The hive is little more expensive.
but We have a better fit and a much
better protection against robbers
moths. cold, etc. An open joint will
do in the summer but in other sea