394 



COMIJ FOUXDATIOX. 



until they are saturated with wax and while hot they are 

 pressed upon the surface of the sheet of foundation so that 

 they may be perpendicular when the frame is hung in tlie 

 hive. These splints about 1-16 of an inch square do not 



Fig. 151. 



VAXDERVORT IMBEDDING SPUR. 



seem to he at all in the way when the combs are built upon 

 them and they make an absolutelj^ solid support for the foun- 

 dation. 



695. As comb-foundation is generally bought in long 

 strips, it may be well to give directions to cut it into pieces 

 of the right size for sections. This may be done with almost 

 any sharp knife. Have a pattern of the size of the pieces 

 wanted, made of hard wood. Take six or eight sheets at 

 one time, arranged in an even pile. Lay your pattern on 

 them, holding it down firml}-. dip your knife in strong soap- 

 suds, and if the wax is at the proper temperature, you will 

 cut the eight pieces at one stroke of the knife. If the sheets 

 have a tendency to slip from imder the pattern, you may nail 

 cleats on three sides of it, to encase the pile as in a box. 



696. Are there a right and a wrong- way, to suspend 

 foundation in the frames'? Or, in other words, should two 

 of the six sides of the cell bo perpendicular or horizontal? 

 Huber. and Cheshire after him, call our attention to the 

 fact, that the bees always build their combs, with two sides 



