February, 1920 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



99 



H EADS OF GRAI >ni?POM DIFFERENT FIELDS 



possession of this, a hundred feet or more 

 above the street. From the number of bees 

 flying around it, it must be a strong colony. 

 The janitor says he is going up to get a pot 

 of honcv. He is certainly welcome. 

 Parkorsburg. W. Va. ' Dr. J. F. Hill. 



Form for Fasten- The drawing shows a 



ing Foundation. simple form I am us- 



ing in fastening foun- 

 dation into frames with the triangular strip. 

 It is quite a satisfactory idea when put into 



Side view sliowin? foundation board, groove, and 



stick for holding up frame. 

 practice and is much quicker than when the 

 frames are held by hand or leaned against 

 something. 



It can be made in just a few minutes by 

 using three 2 x 4's about 15 inches in length, 

 and sawing out an angular piece as shown 

 in the side view. An inch is deep enough. 



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P>nd view, with frame for taclcing in strip. 

 with a convenient slant for ease in nailing. 

 Tack a strip on the outside of two pieces 

 3/16 of an inch back from the cut, giving 

 them the same angle as the cut. Then nail 

 tlie three pieces together, with a board that 

 fits loosely into the frame and about % inch 

 thick, and the form is made. 



In using it, a frame is placed in the 

 groove, the foundation put in position, and 



the strip toe-nailed in place. The frame is 

 then dropped forward on the board and the 

 wire imbedded. About one handling of the 

 frame is all that is necessary. 



Ealeigh, N. C. J. E. Eckert. 



Bottom Starters 

 in Brood and 

 Extracting Frames. 



Having in view the de- 

 sirability of getting 

 combs of worker-cells 

 in brood and extract- 

 ing frames built down and securely attach- 

 ed to the bottom-bars, and the difficulty the 

 average beekeeper has in attaining this re- 

 sult, perhaps the method described below 

 may be of value. 



The plan has, I think, the merit of being 

 simple as well as secure. I have the bottom- 

 bar of the ordinary standard frame made 



Top view witli trame in position tor imlieddiiiir of 

 wire. 



Bottom-bar with saw-kerf. 

 with a saw-kerf which practically divides 

 it into halves lengthwise to within % or % 

 of an inch from each end as shown. 



The assembling of the frame is performed 

 in the usual way, and also the wiring. 



The bottom starter is of medium brood 

 foundation, and cut in strips % inch wide 

 by % inch less in length than the inside 

 measurement across the frame horizontally. 

 ■ To put the starter in position, take two 

 two-inch wire nails (a) and (b) and cut off 

 the heads. Then drive them into a board or 

 into the top of the workbench, spacing them 

 about two inches apart, and allowing them 

 to stick out about % of an inch. 



The bottom-bar of the frame is then plac- 

 ed over the projecting nails (a) and (b) 

 which enter the saw-kerf midway between 

 the ends. An end of the frame is then 

 pressed slightly to one side, and so held by 

 a movable pin (c) inserted in a prepared 

 hole bored in the bench top. The saw-kerf 

 will now, as shown, be sufficiently widened 



Showing saw-kerf widened to receive starter, 

 out to receive the prepared starter, which 

 can be dropped into place. The holding-pin 

 (c) is now removed, and the saw-kerf closes 

 up, holding the foundation firmly; and if 

 any extra firmness is desired, a fine nail can 

 be driven thru the bar at the center, from 

 edge to edge. The starter is held upright; 

 and as it will be % of an inch high there 

 will be but little chance of its folding over 

 sidewise, as, I fear, often happens with the 

 melted-wax method of fixing. 



To prevent the bulging of the finished 

 comb, a space of about % of an inch should 

 be left between the lower edge of the mairt 

 sheet of foundation and the upper edge of 

 the lower one, or starter. 



These -otwrters have proved very satisfac- 



