42 



MANUAL OF APICULTURE. 



less difficult, and bees are brushed off a little more easily; but when 

 combs cut from box hives are to be fitted into the frames it is not quite 

 so easy to hold the pieces in the center of the frame by means of trans- 

 ferring sticks and get the bees to fasten them securely at the bottom as 



it is with full seven-eighths- 



T 



,1 



inch bottom bars. Top bars 

 have been- made by some 

 hive manufacturers from 

 one-fourth-inch to three- 

 eighths-inch strips, 

 strengthened somewhat by 

 a very thin strip placed 

 edgewise on the underside 

 as a comb guide; but such 

 bars are much too light and 

 will sag when filled with 

 honey or with brood and honey, and when section holders or other 

 receptacles for surplus honey or sets of combs are placed above them 

 more than a bee space exists between the upper and lower sets of frames 

 or between the section holder and the frames below, and the bees will 

 fill in with bits of comb between these, making it difficult to remove the 

 top story or any of the combs from it; indeed, an attempt under such 



FlG. 24. Langstroth J'rame; size, 17$ in. by 9: 

 pn, projecting nail. (Original.) 



ill. outside; 



Yin. 25.- Form in which to nail frames: b, button; db, double button. (Original.) 



circumstances to remove combs from the top story generally results 

 in tearing the frames apart and breaking the combs, and if honey leaks 

 out robbing may be induced at some times of the year, all because of an 

 error in construction. To avoid this the top bar should never be less 

 than five-eighths inch to three-fourths inch thick, while for long top 

 bars seven-eighths-inch or 1- inch strips are preferable. The side and 

 bottom bars may be made of one-fourth-inch strips. A corner is taken 

 from the end of the top bar by a cross cut made at exactly right angles 

 on the underside of the top bar, reaching to within one-fourth inch of 

 the top of the bar, and another cut from the end so as to meet the first- 



