90 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



perpendicular when the frame is hung in the hive. As 

 fast as a spHnt is laid in place, an assistant immediately 

 presses it down into the foundation w^ith the wetted edge 

 of a board. About 1^ inches from each end-bar is 

 placed a splint, and between these tw^o splints three others 

 at equal distances (Fig. 31). When these are built out 

 they make beautiful combs, and the splints do not seem to 

 be at all in the way (Fig. 32). 



Five splints in a frame works all right for medium 

 brood foundation, but in 1909 I filled a number of frames 

 with light brood foundation, and used seven splints in a 

 frame. 



A little experience will enable one to judge, when 

 putting in the splints, how hot to keep the wax. If too 

 hot there will be too light a coating of wax. 



It must not be understood that the mere use of these 

 splints will under any and all circumstances result in 

 faultless combs built securely down to the bottom-bar. It 

 seems to be the natural thing for bees to leave a free 

 passage under the comb, no matter whether the thing 

 that comes next below the comb be the floor-board of the 

 hive or the bottom-bar of the frame. So if a frame be 

 given wdien little storing is going on, the bees will de- 

 liberately dig away the foundation at the bottom ; and 

 even if it has been built down but the cells not very fully 

 drawn out, they will do more or less at gnawing a pass- 

 age. To make a success, the frames should be given at 

 a time when work shall go on uninterruptedly until full- 

 depth cells reach the bottom-bar. 



In Fig. o2 will be seen two such frames of splinted 

 foundation that have been built out and filled with honey. 

 1 he upper one is built out solid to the frame all around, 

 while the lower one has a hole at one of the lower corners, 

 through which a queen can play hide-and-seek. 



In Fig. 33 are two that have been built out and filled 

 with brood. They are built out solid to the w^ood, except- 

 ing one hole in each at one of the lower corners, but these 

 two holes are covered up by the fingers so that you cannot 

 see them. Look carefullv at the frame at the left hand, 



