26 SOUTHERN BEE CULTURE 



be seen that the ends of the super have rabbets in them similar to those 

 in the ends of the bottom story. This is the top of the super. Turn it 

 over ■ and nail the section-holder supports on which are narrow strips of 

 tin. Nail these on well, letting them project over on the inside of the 

 super not less than ^ inch. These are to hold all the fixtures in^ the supers. 

 Next put the section-holders together, using four nails to each one, and be 

 sure that the ends are nailed on the bottom slats not less than 17 inches 

 between them, or the sections will not fit in- them. Now set these in the 

 supers, putting a separator between each two. The separators will be very 

 thin pieces of soft wood about 4^^ inches wide, slotted on one edge, and this 

 slotted edge turns down. Sometimes the factories send out hives with slat 

 separators which are made of four thin narrow slats' supported at ends by 

 a piece of tin, and it will be seen that these end supporters project more on 

 one edge than the other. This longer projecting edge goes down. Next put 

 the followers in behind the last section-holder, which is a board about J4 

 inch thick and as long as the hive is wide, and about 4^^ inches wide. 



•The supers are now ready for the sections, which are thin slotted pieces 

 of Wood with three V-shape grooves cut across them about the same distance 

 apart. Wet the sections, at the grooves by pouring water through them, 

 holding ten or fifteen at a time edgewise over a pail of water, or dampen 

 them at the grooves with a sponge or piece of cloth dipped in water; but 

 be sure not to wet the sections all over or they will warp and twist. 



Now with the section-former, squeeze or press (see machines for this 

 work under "Apiarian Implements") ; put the sections together, or this can 

 be done by folding them carefully together, and knocking the lock corners 

 together with a mallet or hammer; but the machines are better for this 

 work. 



Now with the foundation-fastener (see machines for this work under 

 ("Apiarian Implements") ; put the starters or full sheets of foundation in the 

 sections, and be sure thaf they are fastened to them well or they may drop 

 down and the bees disregard them or build a crooked comb in the section. 

 Set the sections thus filled carefully into the section-holder, and key them up 

 by putting a wedge or spring behind the follower. Now put the tops together, 

 nailing them well, and the hive and super for comb honey is then completed 

 and ready for the bees. 



The next hive for consideration is No. 2 for chunk honey. The bottom 

 story, or brood-apartment, is constructed as hive No. i for comb honey; 

 but the super contains shallow frames which hang in the wood rabbets (no 

 tin ones to be used), and the top-bars of which are thin, with a small shal- 

 low groove in them, which are to be turned down. Nail the frames up as 

 you would the brood-frames in the bottom story. You will find smaller 

 staples, to be driven in the ends to space the frames, than those used in the 

 brood-frames; and when these have been driven in the proper depth (using 

 the same gauge on the brood-frames), the frames will be ready for starters 

 or full sheets of foundation; now take a light board the size of the frame 

 on the outside, and tack on this a thin board the same size as the frame 



