38 MONEY IN BEES IN AUSTRALASIA 



groove, and the wedged strip is then forced into the 

 second slot, so that the tliin intervening wood is jammed 

 against the foundation, holding it securely in place. 



With the sheet of wax firmly attached to the top-bar, 

 it is ready for the next operation. A word of caution 

 is here necessary. Bees-wax, when heated, expands 

 considerably. Now if a sheet of foundation is fastened 

 into a frame in a cool temperature, it will certainly 

 buckle and warp out of shape, when placed in the warm 

 interior of the hive. To ensure nice, regular comb being 

 built, foundation work should be performed in a heated 

 room. 



The frame — with the wax sheet down — is now laid on 

 the board, and with a small serrated wheel (Fig. 23) the 

 wire is embedded in the wax. To allow for stretching, 

 the foundation should be trimmed V^ of an inch short of 

 the bottom bar. If the sheet of wax is too hot during the 

 embedding process, it is liable to split between the wires 

 when contracting in a cooler atmosphere. Where the 

 foundation is handled in a temperature ranging between 

 90 and 95 degrees F., very little trouble is experienced. 

 The completion of this operation renders the hive fit for 

 occupancy by the bees. 



OEDERLT ARRANGEMENT OP HIVES. 



If we wish to make the arrangement of the apiary 

 as orderly as possible, it is necessary to mark out 

 the situations of the hives before the bees are housed 

 therein. A hive, after the bees have accepted, and located 

 it as their home, cannot be shifted or moved without 

 causing a disturbance and loss of bees. A shift of one 

 yard to right or left is sufficient to cause demoralisation. 

 Hives of bees may, under certain conditions, be moved to 

 fresh locations, but it requires experience and skill to do 

 so without loss of bees and subsequent weakening of the 

 colonies. 



Circumstances surrounding the formation of the 

 apiary, determine to a very large extent the plan' or 



