JULY 1. 1915 



537 



Three leaves of the comtnou swcol c'.cn-pi- and alsn three from the new ])hiiit pictured on the precedina; 

 pag . These leaves are shewn about three-fourths life size. See if yoa have an.\ sweet clover growing in 

 yo'.ir vicinity with leaves as largo as those on this new plant. See page 558. 



which we decided to melt up and have it 

 ready to feed the bees when the storm was 

 over. The honey was granulated, and we 

 had a time ol: it. This was good "man 

 feed," too: but one gets tired of honey only, 

 on a long stretch. 



The empty cans had been thrown outside, 

 and during the night we heard them rolling 



around. The next morning the cans were 

 scattered all over everywhere, and it was 

 plain to see that a bear had been there 

 again. Bears like honey too. 



It was five days before we could cross the 

 creek, and then Ave had to cross about twen- 

 tv times. 

 ■ Nordhoff, Cal. 



STEEL STAYS FOR SUPPORTING BROOD - COMBS ; A SUBSTITUTE FOR 

 FINE WIRES OR WOODEN SPLINTS 



BY B. F. AVERILL 



My experience in wiring frames for 

 staying foundation began in 1879, when I 

 first used comb foundation. I had tried the 

 flat-bottom foundation with the wires in- 

 corporated in process of manufacture, and 

 its utility failed to meet expectations. The 

 idea occurred to me that frames should be 

 wired, not the foundation. So I ordered 

 a spool of wire and found the wired frames 

 more satisfactorj-. I used three horizontal 

 wires, 1, 'iVo, and 4 inches respectively, be- 

 low the comb-guides. 



In 1882 1 accepted a managing interest 

 in the South, with the lato Paul L. Viallon, 

 of Bayou Goula, La. The wiring problem 

 there was a labor of some magnitude, and 

 the plan of wiring in vogue was cjuite ex- 

 pensive — a folded tin brace in the center 



betAAeen the toi^ and bottom bars — eight 

 perpendicular wires and two diagonal brace 

 wires from the center of the bottom-bars to 

 the corners at the top-bars. 



Suggesting to Mr. Viallon that I could 

 devise a method of staying foundation in 

 brood-combs that would be more economical 

 and sufiSciently substantial he requested me 

 to bring out something, saying he would be 

 glad to find a plan that did not require 

 (luite so much joatience and skill. 



I gave an order for some splints 8V2 x Vs 

 X 1-16, sawn from section stock, and put 

 up a set of foundation and frames the next 

 day. In a day or two I had a swarm hived 

 on them, and a week later a set of drawn- 

 out combs as pretty as I had ever seen. 



Mr. Viallon pronounced the innovation 



