SMOKER. 



19 



being down, and the frame is forced down on the points of 

 the nails, so as to slightly open the saw groove in the top 

 bar. By giving the frame a very slight twist the groove is 

 opened sufficiently to admit the edge of the sheet of founda- 

 tion, which is firmly held when the frame is lifted off. 

 Frames of foundation should be kept in a spare hive when 

 not required for use, as the foundation is very easily injured 



Fig. 4. — Frame, with Shefet of Comb Foundation. 



About a year since, a patent was taken out for a very in- 

 genious plan for fixing comb foundation securely in the 

 frames. The top bar, which is half an inch thick, has two 

 wide saw grooves along its under side, one being in the 

 middle. Into this groove the edge of the foundation is in- 

 serted, and into the other a narrow wedge ts forced with 

 the tips of the fingers. A very slight pressure on the wedge 

 is sufficient to hold the sheet of foundation so firmly that 

 it cannot be drawn out without injury. 



An appliance of great use to the 

 bee-keeper is the smoker, which is 

 used in quieting bees. It consists 

 of a small bellows, worked by the 

 hand, on which is mounted a tin 

 tube about six inches long and two 

 inches in diameter, over which is 

 placed a conical tube, which acts as 

 a chimney. The smoker is loosely 

 filled with pieces of dry brown paper, 

 or a small piece of clean sacking on 

 which a lighted vesuvian is dropped,. 

 The chimney is put on and the bel- 

 lows worked for a few seconds, when 

 dense smoke will issue from the F"^- S-—Eii-oh — S-jlicr. 



