Lyons Station, Ind. Jan. 6th, 1875.
Were we to stop here, we might think the matter settled, but why does
Quinby now advise a hive with only _half inch boards_ as a protection.
His large hive was most perfectly adapted for packing material on all
sides of the bees, even to a thickness of 8 or 10 inches. In the large
Apiaries about him would it be fair to suppose they had abandoned this
plan before giving it a fair trial? We should much like to hear from
Hetherington, Elwood, and others in this matter. See letter on page 29.
The testimonials in regard to the Finn hive are none of them from
practical bee-keepers such as are known through the Journals, and none
of them owners of large Apiaries. If we wanted to make a hive such as
they describe in their circular we assuredly should not think of buying
a right for the privilege, but if they would make us a hive at a
reasonable price suitable for receiving our frames, so that we could
easily set a colony into one, we would prefer to buy of them rather than
make one.
If Adam Grimm, and Capt. Hetherington will give their opinion in regard
to double wall hives compared with single ones for out-door wintering,
we will cheerfully pay any reasonable sum for service. During our
protracted cold weather, many complaints have come in, in regard to ice
forming in hives left out-doors, and many losses are reported already.
In cases like these, we do think the straw mats a great advantage, and
is it not possible that they are as efficient as the expensive double
walls?
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