GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



February, 1921. 



baskets the first time with the top-bars to- 

 ward the way you are turning, there will 

 not be any sagging. But if the bottom is 

 placed toward the way you are turning, then 

 there will be some combs that break loose 

 and sag. ' ' 



Such a looping over of the wire really 

 amounts to two crossings at practically the 

 same point, which, as previously explained, 

 we have found objectionable in our experi- 

 ence. 



All Wires Diagonal. 



Wiring with all the wires diagonal (Fig. 

 7) is recommended by John L. Miles, Ridg- 

 way, Pa. He says: "The illustration will 



show plainly how it is_ done. Beginning at 

 1, proceed to all the figures as shown. Care 

 should be taken to get the wires from 2 to 

 3 and 7 to 8 on top of the ones from 4 to 5 

 and 8 to 9. This allows sliding the founda- 

 tion between the wires and prevents short 

 circuits when imbedding with electricity. 

 The wires are fastened to the top-bar by 

 driving tacks in the side of the corner cut. 

 They should be equally spaced. I use the 

 third hole from the top in tlie end-bar; and 

 the bottom-bar, beginning at the end, 

 should be drilled 2, 6%, lOi/o, and 15 inches. 

 I have wired all my frames this way, and 



FIG. 8 



the bees build fine combs in them. I have 

 not had a case where they made holes where 

 the wires cross. In fact, the only objection 

 I can see to this method is the time it takes 

 to do it; and if this is an objection, then 

 by the same token why wire them at all?" 



Now the slight springing of the bottom- 

 bar would probably do little harm; and so 

 far as the theory of the braces is con- 

 cerned, the plan is all right for the middle 

 part of the frame; but there is a decided 

 objection to those large expanses of comb 

 unsupported by wire. Especially is this true 

 at extracting time. More diagonal wires 

 might overcome this objection; but this only 



adds to the labor of wiring and the difficulty 



of inserting the foundation. 



To Prevent Wire From Cutting Into Wood. 



For preventing the wires from cutting into 

 the wood, the use of staples, nails, and eye- 

 lets has been suggested by many. In our ex- 

 perience we have not found that tliey pre- 



vent stretching but that they do weaken the 

 wire at those points where the wire pulls 

 against them. E. G. Hand of Hilliardton, 

 Ont., has for 20 years used nails just above 

 or below the holes, so that the wires may 

 be drawn taut (Fig. 8). In his letter he 

 says: 



"Here is the system I adopted more 

 than 20 years ago, and I have never seen 

 another that made me want to change. Wire 

 nails are driven into the edge of the end- 

 bars above or below the holes to catch the 

 wire as soon as it is pulled tight and begins 

 to cut in. With this system, wires can be 

 pulled as tight as desired when put in and 

 will keep their tension for years. There 

 will be practically no trouble from wires 

 breaking if judgment be used in tightening 

 them, and experience soon teaches the 

 proper tension. The wire should be drawn 

 tight, one strand at a time, after it is strung 

 thru and the end secured. Do not attempt 

 to draw the three strands tight with one 

 pull. I have never had trouble with wires 

 breaking at any time after wiring. If pulled 

 tight enough no vertical wire is needed, and 

 tlie wires can be imbedded electrically. The 

 wire is attached to the nails at the terminal 

 holes at the outside, then the nails are driven 

 in tight. ' ' 



A similar plan (Fig. 9) is advocated by 

 P. M. 1). Veale of Ottawa, Ont., who makes 



a hole thru the center of the top-bar, en- 

 larges the lioles in the end-bars with a 5/32 

 b"_t stock drill, and then drives % x 18-gauge 

 rails into the end-bars thru the middle of 

 the holes, so that these nails serve as axles 

 on which the wire slips as it is pulled taut. 

 A nail is driven in the same manner thru 



