From: Michael Palmer <[log in to unmask]>

>Yes, the Invertible hive. Popular for awhile but went out of 
use...probably because it didn't work.

the idea that this was to stop swarming is new to me.  i always thought it was to get full sheets of foundatinless comb drawn (the space left at the bottom of the frame becomes the top and must be attached).

my 1888 copy of "abc of beekeeping" calls this "reversing", but has it listed as "inverting" in the index.

it seems that inverting was discussed "in earnest" in 1884...just about the time foundation was growing in popularity....which of course makes inverting unnecessary for drawing full sheets of comb.  root seems pretty impressed with the idea in 1888...so it wasn't likely a total failure.  more likely, the universal adoption of foundation made it unnecessary.

p230

"...It's object is twofold:  First, by so taking advantage of the natural instinct of bees as to cause them to complete combs only partially built out, or to fill said frames completely with comb; second, to force the bees to carry the honey from the brood-chamber into the surplus receptical above, where it is wanted."

p231

"After having given this reversible frame a fair trial in our apiary, we were greatly pleased with its working.  We have secured by it some combs as fine as I ever saw..."

"Before closing this subject, I will say that the majority of our large honey-producers do not as yet (1888) practice inverting, they claiming that the advantages derived there-from are not sufficient to cover the additional  expese incumbent on supers, frames, hives, etc., made reversible.  It is probable, however, that a large part of this majority  have not tried inverting, it being a trait in mankind to be conservative in regard to new things.  While I myself recognize that there are advantages of a certain kind in reversing, I am not yet satisfied that they are enough to pay in dollars and cents.......at present I feel it my duty to caution my A B C scholars about investing much in it, however beautiful the theory of it may seem."

deknow

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