Best, by far the best, of all this form of the bar hive, is that
introduced by Mr. Woodbury, who has done so much of late to extend our
knowledge of, and acquaintance with, the habits of the Bee.
[Illustration: Fig. 14.]
The following is Mr. Woodbury's own description of the hive, as it
appeared in the _Journal of Horticulture_:--
"In compliance with the wishes of numerous correspondents, I have much
pleasure in submitting to the readers of the _Journal of Horticulture_,
a description of my frame hives, supers, and outer cases, as at present
in use in my apiary.
"Frame Hives are made of inch wood, 14-1/2 inches square, and 9 inches
deep inside, dovetailed and put together with paint, the ends of the
dovetails being pinned through with stout iron wire driven from the top
and bottom, and meeting in the centre. A window 7-1/2 inches long by 4
deep affords a slight view of the interior from the back (not the front
as engraved), but is much obstructed by the frames. The crown-board
which is raised in the engraving, _fig. 14_, is keyed to prevent
warping, and is secured by four long brass screws passing through the
ends of the keys. A two-inch central hole for feeding is the only
aperture, and this is closed when not in use by a circular block
of one-and-a-quarter-inch wood 5 inches in diameter. A three-eighth
rabbet is cut out of the top inner edge at the back and front, and
below this are notches seven-eighths wide by three-eighths deep, in
which rest the ends of the frames. This arrangement affords the Bees a
free passage above the frames as well as below and at their sides. The
annexed sketch, _fig. 15_, of the interior angle of one of my hives is
drawn the full size, and will serve as a guide for the arrangement of
the frames, which are ten in number, and are placed at equal distances
apart.
[Illustration: Fig. 15.]
[Illustration: Fig. 16.]
"Compound Bar-frame.--This is a contrivance of my own, which I have
found very advantageous in enabling me to use frames in stock hives
and bars in supers without forfeiting the advantages arising from the
unlimited interchangeability of every comb in every hive and super
in the apiary. Its construction will be readily understood by an
inspection of the annexed sketch, _fig. 16_, in which the comb-bar is
shown slightly raised from its frame. The bar itself is 13-1/4 inches
long by seven-eighths wide and three-eighths thick; these dimensions
must be rigidly adhered to, as _every comb-bar should fit every hive
and super in the apiary_.[4] The slips of wood forming the frame are
seven-eighths of an inch wide and five-sixteenths of an inch thick,
with the exception of the projections at the top, which are the same
thickness as the bars, and are five-eighths of an inch long. When the
comb-bar is in its place the whole forms a frame 13 inches long by
7-1/4 inches high (inside measure), with a five-eighth projection at
each end, which rests in its appropriate notch in either the back or
front of the hive. The accompanying engraving, _fig. 17_, represents
the frame filled with comb, in which state the bar becomes so firmly
cemented to the frame as to admit of its being handled with the
greatest facility.
[Footnote 4: It is a good plan to commence by making a pattern bar of
mahogany, which should be taken are of and used as a guide whenever
comb-bars are required.]
[Illustration: Fig. 17.]
[Illustration: Fig. 18.]
"Improved Comb-bar.--This little contrivance has proved very effectual
in securing straight combs when guide-combs are not attainable. The
annexed sketch, _fig. 18_, is a section of the new bar. It will be
perceived that the lower angles are rounded off; whilst a central rib
is added of about an eighth of an inch in breadth and depth. This
central rib extends to within half an inch of each end, where it is
removed in order to admit of the bar fitting into the usual notch.
All that is necessary to insure the regular formation of combs is to
coat the underneath surface of the central rib with melted wax. My
practice is to use plain bars whenever guide-combs are attainable as
these can be attached with much greater facility to a plain than to a
ribbed bar; but whenever I put in a bar without comb I always use one
of the improved ones. By this method crooked and irregular combs are
altogether unknown in my apiary.
[Illustration: Fig. 19.]
"Floor-boards.--My floor-boards are made of one-and-a-quarter-inch
wood, keyed to prevent warping, are 18 inches square, and show a
projection of about an inch beyond the exterior of the hive, from
which they are chamfered down on all sides nearly three-eighths of an
inch. An entrance 3 inches or 4 inches wide is cut in front out of the
substance of the board commencing at the edge, and continuing on the
same level until inside the hive, where it slopes upwards. The entrance
formed in this manner is five-sixteenths of an inch in height where the
hive crosses it.
[Illustration: Fig. 20.]
"Alighting-boards are moveable, being attached to the floor-boards by
means of a couple of pins of stout wire; they are made from a piece of
a silk-roller, 2 inches in diameter by 8 long, rounded off at the ends,
which when quartered makes four alighting-boards. The surface should be
roughened by a toothed plane.
"Supers are 13 inches square inside and of various depths. Six inches
deep is a convenient size, and, when filled, will contain nearly 30
lbs. of honey. The engraving, _fig. 19_, represents a very neat glass
super of this size, which is manufactured by Messrs. Neighbour. It
shows also the adapter with its longitudinal communications near the
sides of the hive, and which replaces the crown-board when a super
is put on. As the honey-combs in supers are better when made of a
greater thickness than those intended for breeding, I place only eight
comb-bars in a thirteen-inch super.
[Illustration: Fig. 21.]
"Hive-roofs and Outer Cases are made of half-inch wood 11 inches wide.
The former is separate, and is cross-bradded together at the angles
with a two-and-a-quarter-inch turned acorn in the centre; its frame
fits loosely over the cover and rests on angle-pieces at the corners.
A half-inch opening is left under the eaves all round for ventilation.
The hive-cover is dovetailed together and glued, with a brad driven
through each of the tenons; it rests on the exterior projection of the
floor-board, and is retained in its place by a plinth 2 inches wide,
which fits loosely outside the latter. It must not be forgotten that
all wooden roofs and outside cases require to be kept well painted,
whilst no paint should ever be applied to the hive itself.
"When a super is put on a second outer case becomes necessary, and this
fits loosely on the first, when the hive appears as it is represented
in the annexed engraving."