90 HOW TO KEEP BEES 



strip at just the middle line of the upper bar of the 

 section. The objection to filling a section with a com- 

 plete sheet is, first, the expense of the foundation; and, 

 secondly, that it is likely to give a tough central por- 

 tion or " fish-bone " to the comb-honey. (Plate XIV. ) 



HOW TO PREPARE THE SUPER 



If they are not ordered set up ready for use, the 

 supers come in flat pieces with dovetailed ends, and 

 putting them together is a pleasing occupation, 

 after one has learned how. The best way to learn 

 how is to carefully observe a super already properly 

 set up; for, though the directions for putting these 

 together are as plain as may be, yet a person may err 

 therein and yet not be a fool. Unless one has 

 learned, or can learn, to drive a nail, one had best 

 not undertake bee-keeping, for the bee-keeper must 

 become a carpenter to be successful; it adds much 

 to the interest of the occupation to make all sorts of 

 things for one's own bees. The principle on which 

 the super is built is that it may hold the sections 

 tightly in place, and not allow them to drop through. 

 Therefore, at the bottom of the super, along each 

 narrower end, is a tin strip to support the ends of the 

 section-holders; to keep the ends of the section- 

 holders even a wedge-shaped strip of wood is nailed 

 across the end of the super, thick edge down and 

 flush with the bottom edge, resting against the tin 

 strips. . We use the Hetherington super-springs, 

 one at each end and one at the middle of one side 

 of the super; the trick of putting these in is to set 



