For a long time, honey, along with furs, was one of the main export goods in Russia. It was harvested using tree beekeeping: hollows were carved in trees and crosses were installed to support the combs. Then the honey would flow into a special opening, from where it was collected. However, such a system could not be set up in every tree. There was another method, using logs that the bees filled with combs. To collect the honey, the logs had to be cut, which led to the death of the bee colony.

In 1814, Russian beekeeper Petr Ivanovich Prokopovich proposed a completely new system that, with minor modifications, is still used today. Originally from the Chernigov province, he served in the Jaeger regiment, and after retiring, returned to his native village of Mitchenki, where he became interested in beekeeping. Initially, he used logs, but then decided to create reusable hives.

His idea was simple: a wooden box was divided into two compartments. In one, the bees reproduced, while in the other was a frame system. Any frame could be removed, honey and wax collected, and then returned to its place. This allowed for the hive to be preserved without harming the bees, and it was also economically beneficial, as there was no need to attract or purchase new bee colonies.

By 1830, Prokopovich owned 10,000 bee colonies, and his apiary in Chernigov became the largest in the world. At the same time, he opened his own beekeeping school, where serfs sent by local landowners were trained. Illiterate students were first taught to read, write, and count.

Over time, the school became so popular that "applicants" from other cities and even countries began to arrive in the Chernigov province. Prokopovich elevated beekeeping in Russia to such a level that it attracted the attention of the government. For his achievements, he was awarded the Order of Saint Vladimir, and his school continued to operate for more than half a century.