A Description of the Bar-and-Frame-Hive | Page 2

the
two pins, a b, in the observation-frame. No. 8, shows the
"division-frame" run into the eighth groove of the floor-board, and No.
14 and 15, the bee-frames run into their respective grooves, and the
1-1/8 of an inch openings in the back closed by the slips of tin, q q q q,
&c.
Y Y, the bar of mahogany with corresponding grooves, X X X X, &c.
to those on the floor-board, at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and 15-2/8 holes for
the top bolt, r, of the observation-frame, Z, to fix into. t, t, t, the screw
nuts at the backs of the bee-frames, &c., for the screw at the end of the
spindle, S, to work into, and thus hold and draw out of the grooves the
bee-frames; w, the bee-frame containing comb and bees, drawn partly
into the observation-frame, Z.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE.

THE BAR-AND-FRAME-HIVE.
By first giving a general description of the "bar-and-frame-hive," the
details of its construction can be better explained afterwards.
An oblong box is formed of well seasoned wood of an inch in thickness,
about thirty inches long, sixteen inches high, and twelve inches broad;
but the size may be varied to suit the convenience or taste of different
apiarians. Instead of the lid of the box being flat, it is made in the shape
of the roof of a cottage, and with projecting eaves to throw off the wet
more effectually. One of the long sides of the box is constructed to
open with hinges, and to hang on a level with the bottom of the box,
and is held up by means of two quadrants. As many grooves, half of an
inch broad, half an inch deep, and about 9-1/2 inches long, are formed,
1-1/8 of an inch apart, in the inside of the bottom of the box as its
length will admit.
In the other side, a long half inch slip is cut for the egress and ingress
of the bees, having a piece of wood about an inch thick, and four inches
wide, fastened on the outside, just under the opening, to form the
alighting board for them.
At the top, of the side of the box which is made to let down, a four inch
piece of mahogany the length of the inside of the box is secured in,
having corresponding grooves formed, half an inch broad, 1-1/8 of an
inch deep, and half an inch apart, to those made in the bottom of the
box, leaving just twelve inches between the bottom grooves and the
upper bar grooves.
When the four legs are screwed into the four corners of the box, the
small "bee-house" is ready for the reception of the "bee-frames" and the
bees. The "bee-frames" are made of half inch mahogany, being twelve
inches high, nine inches long, and not more than half of an inch broad,
so that these frames will fit into the box, sliding into fifteen grooves
formed on the bottom, and kept securely in their places by the upper
grooves in the mahogany bar.

When the fifteen, or whatever number of the bee-frames intended to be
used, have been run into the grooves, sheets of perforated zinc are
placed on the tops of them; the 1-1/8 of an inch openings at the backs
of the frames being closed with slips of tin.
One of the bee-frames is made solid, with sheets of zinc being fixed in
it; this frame can then be used as a divider between any number of the
bee-frames, and thus form the box into two compartments, either to
augment or diminish the space in the box according to the size of the
swarm, or the increasing wants of the bees for more room.
The bees are then introduced into the hive (having first closed the backs
of the bee-frames with the slips of tin, and fastened the side lid of the
box against them, and also removed one of the sheets of perforated zinc
from the tops of the bee-frames) by dislodging the bees from the
straw-hive in which they had been previously collected, or shaken from
the boughs of the tree, where they may have settled, so as to fall upon
the tops of the frames within the box; when the bees have all
congregated within the bee-frames by crawling through the open spaces
at the top, the perforated sheet of zinc is placed over them; the bees can
then only escape through the long slip or entrance which was made for
them in the front of the box.
The top lid can be closed and locked, when the bees will be secure from
the gaze of the inquisitive, or the bad intentions of thieves.
Before I proceed to give any directions