82 PLEASUBABLE BEE-KEEPING. 



running from 3 to 4. By passing it finally to No. 2, 

 and there fixing, a diamond is formed in the centre. 

 More wire is used by this, than by other methods, but 

 as the combs, when the foundation has been properly 

 fixed, are absolutely secure, and the wires no detri- 

 ment, I strongly recommend it. 



The wiring of frames not only makes the combs, 

 when built upon the wires, more secure, but it allows 

 the bee-keeper to use less foundation, as he may then 

 use two or three more sheets to the pound. As the 

 sheets are thin the bees will not have to expend as 

 much labour upon them as when thicker, and at the 

 same time in lengthening the cell walls they will be 

 able to draw upon the wax that is naturally secreted 

 in large quantities during the honey-flow. To give 

 some idea of the extent to which wired frames are 

 used in America, Mr. A. I. Boot states in " Glean- 

 ings," an American bee-paper which he edits, that 

 from his depot over two tons of No. 30 tinned wire 

 had been sold during 1892. As it takes 6 to 10 oz. 

 of wire to 100 frames there must have been 700,000 

 to 1,000,000 frames wired. But this only represents 

 the output of one large manufacturing firm. 



Wiring the foundation. To properly fix the wires 

 into the foundation a board must be used half the 

 thickness of the frame, and of a size to just fit inside 

 the frame. By naihng laths 18 inches long under- 

 neath the board, the wired frame, when placed upon the 

 board, will rest with the wires resting upon it (Fig. 22). 

 The frame is then sHghtly raised so that the sheet of 

 foundation is laid upon the board. On returning the 

 frame the wires will rest on the foundation to be 



