From: cslade777@aol.com
Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2001 16:45:24 EDT
To: BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Northern Winter Management & Plastic Topper

Dear Marianne,

I think the reason that the WBC hasn't caught on in N.America is that by the
time William Broughton Carr invented the hive that bears his initials the
Langstroth was already well established as the standard hive over there. The
Langstroth is much cheaper and easier to make, being just 4 pieces of wood
with no complicated joinery, and is also much more portable for migratory
beekeeping. But in a garden situation and a challenging climate the WBC and its derivatives have advantages. One of them is that the inners can be made of the cheapest and flimsiest materials as they are not exposed to the weather. The outers can be gloss painted for weather protection as the wood doesn't need to breathe. You could also experiment with artificial sheet
materials if you didn't mind them not looking as good as wood.

"Your" Chris