34 BEEHIVES AND BEE KEEPERS' APPLIANCES. 



between front or back and the strips may be suf- 

 ficient to adjust matters. Measurements being 

 satisfactory, nail on the boards permanently, keep- 

 ing the front \ in. up from the bottom edges of the 

 sides, as shown by Fig. 19, clean off the ends flush 

 with the sides, and punch in the nail-heads. 



In order to prevent the bees having access to 

 the space between the inner and outer walls, filling 

 strips F should be inserted and secured with brads 

 \ in. below the top edge of each inner wall, and 

 J in. above the bottom edges of inner and outer 

 walls at the front. A similar strip may be fixed 

 at the back if desired, but as the bees cannot gain 

 access to the space from the bottom, its provision 

 is superfluous. The body-box is now finished. Oval 

 wire brads for hive work, those for nailing body- 



Fig. 20. Tongue-and-groove Joint. 



boxes and lifts to be 2 in. long, are recommended. 



The floor-board will next receive attention. It 

 will be noticed in the table of materials (see p. 26) 

 that the main floor is 15 in. wide, consequently a 

 joint will be necessary ; and as the floor-board will 

 be more or less exposed to the weather, a glued 

 joint will not stand for any length of time. A 

 tongue-and-groove joint, as shown by Fig. 20, is 

 most suitable, but failing the possession of suit- 

 able tools wherewith to work such a joint, a 

 dowelled joint will be the best substitute. 



With a gauge set to half the thickness of the 

 wood, mark a line down the centre of the edge of 

 one of the pieces, and make holes with a bradawl 

 on this line 2 in. to 3 in. apart ; and, having cut 

 the heads off a sufficient number of wire nails, drive 

 them into the holes with the points projecting 

 about | in. Offer the edge of the second board, 



