ii8 A MANUAL OF BEE-KEEPING. 



hive than in the super, but they will seal it more rapidly 

 in the latter.* 



For the super, or upper "story of the hive, the sections 

 are placed in a case as Fig. 47, which holds three — in the 



Fig- 47- 



figure, two are in position furnished with guide comb ; 

 the third space is empty, to show the position of the tin 

 separator behind. These separators are a sheet of tin, 

 placed between each case, of sections, either in the super 

 or brood hive, to prevent the Bees building their combs 

 of varying thicknesses. By this contrivance the whole of 

 the comb is kept within the box, which is, of course, a 

 great desideratum in packing, as they can be laid close 

 together without crushing. The case is made of the 

 same material and in the same way as the sections them- 

 selves ; it is three times as long, and just high enough 

 for the sections to slip inside, and a sheet of tin 14 inches 

 by 20 inches makes six separators. Both cases and 

 separators may be used again and again, and they serve 

 to keep the sections clean. Propolis may be washed oft 

 them when not in use by boiling in weak lye. The ends ol 

 the tin are bent at right angles, and sprung on to the case 

 as shown in the figure, or may be dropped into a shallow 

 notch, or lightly bradded on. Thus furnished, these 

 cases are put side by side right into the frames without 

 the interposition of any crown-board. As many should 



* A clever manager will so arrange that the Bees shall start and fill the 

 section boxes in the brood chamber, and they may be afterwards removed to 

 the super to seal over— empty boxes, as before, being put in their places. 



