TREATMENT OF SWARMS AND STOCKS. 51 



the len^h bei?weeii the sides of the frames, to be waxed, and drive into 

 it two brads at bare 7-16ths inch from its edge ; soak this slip thoroughly 

 and it is ready for use. Place it upon the under side of the top bar > 

 allowing the btads to aot as a stop ; it will cover half the width of , the 

 bar, which is made 7-8ths wide. Upon the exposed half, and upon the 

 side of the wetted slip, paint perfectly clean molten wax, draw the 

 brush over It with a fresh supply fabout twice. The wax will adhere 

 to the bar with great tenacity, but upon the removal of, the slip, no 

 attachment will be found to have taken place, and the wax applied will 

 remain like a. thin wall which will be modelled by the bees into the 

 midrib of their combs. Instead of applying the wax with a brush, it may 

 be poured on from a spoon, when the bar and slip should be held so as_ 

 to form the sides of a little trough or gutter, along which the wax 

 should be allowed to flow. This wiU be best understood by reference 

 to Fig. 36, where » represents the top bar in section, 6 the wetted 

 slip, c the brad acting as a stop, and d the wax guide. If the 

 distance c e be made half the width of the super bars, the slip 6 wiU do 

 duty for supers as well as hives by simply turning it round. If combs 

 can be spared sufficient to fill every alternate frame, irregulaiiiy wiH be 

 impossible, and the furnished frames may be removed to do duty with 

 another swarm as soon as a start has been made. 



Embossed wax sheet is largely used by some beekeepers, and is thus 

 made : A dipper of pine, having surfaces of the dimensions of the sheets 

 required, is soaked well in cold water, and then plunged into clean molten 

 wax, which is solidified by the contact of the cold wood in the form °^ * 

 thin plate, which remains upon it (i.e. the wood) as it is withdrawn. 

 Plunging the dipper again into cold water, and repeating the waxing, wiU 

 make the sheet of about the required thickness, when it can be lifted from 

 the dipper, like a, piece of thick paper. The sheets are now pressed 

 between a pair of metal plates,, modelled to the exact pattern of the midrib, 

 of comb. To emboss the sheets with ease, it is well to keep them in 

 warm water until plaping them between the plates. The artificial midrib 

 is now cut to the required size, and fixed in position, generally by pUtding 

 its edge in a saw kerf, and running or brushing in melted wax to hold 

 it. Our readers are referred for more detailed directions to what ' we 

 have written in the columns of the Ooimiry and elsewhere tipon this 

 matter, We regret little tl^t space necessitates brevity here, as some 

 new methods will^ we think, ere long bring embossed wax sheet into disuse. 

 The Americans a,re now employing a wax sheet called "Long's Founda- 

 tions, " made with most beautiful finish, by a machine costing about ^630, 

 carrying two embossed drums, between which the wax passes like a cloth 

 , through a. patent mangle. The edges of the bases of the cells are 

 thickened, so that a supply of wax is already at hand fOr the bees to 

 use in constructing the cell walls. These foundations require fixing, and 



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