so 



PRACTICAL BEE-KEEPnT&. 



Tig. 35. 



upon it, we must give some detailed direotious : Tie position of the hive is 

 important ; Jet it stand horizontal in front, and raised an inch or two at 

 the back. If the bars are of the Woodbury 

 pattern (Fig. 13, page 14), or are made like 

 Fig. 35, representing the cross section, the 

 projection beneath (in the latter case consist- 

 ing of a thick shaving inserted in a saw kerf ) 

 must be carefully painted with clean wax, which 

 is best melted in a pot resembling a carpenter's gluepot. The bees 

 so far assisted would commence building regularly, but a swarm 

 often, a cast generally, takes up its position at the side of its 

 domicile, and beginning there to build, brings its outside comb into the 

 centre of the hive. This outside comb devoted to store, as it naturally 

 will be, is often so thick as to encroach upon the bar lying beyond it, and 

 when the bees begin to multiply and fill new frames the cards will neces- 

 sarily be irregular. To overcome this difSculty, insert one of the emptv 

 frames in the centre of the brood nest, between the most regular of the 

 consi ructed combs, as the bees are able to occupy new ground, and push the 

 thickened store comb by degrees to its true position at the side of the hive. 

 Not only will this prevent irregularity, but your interference will produce 

 good results, the reasons for which are already given at page 19. The 

 work of a swarm should be looked at a few days after hiving, when a little 

 attention will often prevent subsequent annoyance. A comb flowing from 

 the line may be out with a keen knife, pressed into position, and held by 

 a lead or zinc clip, till the busy throng has made it again secure. 



The plan of starting the bees by a line of wax left by painting the bar, 

 and then scraping all away by a gauge, consisting of a piece of metal with 

 a notch cut in it, must now be regarded as out of date, being both very 

 troublesome and unsatisfactory. An immensely better gnide can be made 

 much more quickly thus : 



Fig. 36. G-tiide Maker. 

 Prepare a sUp of soft wood, free from knots, about |in. thick, and of 



