MANTIAL OF THE APIARY. . 157 



spring, saws the combs and cross-sticks loose from the sides, 

 turns the hive into the natural position, then strikes against 

 the top of the hive with a hammer till the fastenings are 

 broken loose, when he lifts the hive, and the combs are all 

 free and in convenient shape for rapid work. 



We now need a barrel, set on end, on which we place a 

 board fifteen to twenty inches Square, covered with several 

 thicknesses of cloth. Some apiarists think the cloth useless; 

 but it serves, I think, to prevent injury to comb, brood or 

 honey. We now place a comb on this cloth, and a frame on 

 the comb, and cut out the comb the size of the inside of the 

 frame, taking pains to save all the brood. Now crowd the 

 frame over the comb, so that the latter will be in the same 

 position that it was when in the old hive ; that is, so the honey 

 will be above — the position is not very important — then fasten 

 the comb in the frame, by winding about all one or two small 

 wires or pieces of wrapping twine. To raise the frame and 

 comb before fastening, raise the board beneath till the frame 

 is vertical. Set this frame in the new hive, and proceed with 

 the others in the same way till we have all the worker-comb — 

 that with small cells — ^fastened in, To secure the pieces, 

 which we shall find abundant at the end, take thin pieces of 

 wood, one-half inch wide and a trifle longer than the frame is 

 deep, place these in pairs either side the comb, extending up 

 and down, and enough to hold the pieces secure till the bees 

 shall fasten them, and secure the strips by winding with small 

 wire, just above and below the frame, or else tack them to 

 the frame with small tacks. 



Captain Hetherington has invented and practices •a very 

 neat method of fastening comb into frames. In constructing 

 his frames, he bores small holes through the top, side, and 

 bottom-bars of his frames, about two inches apart ; these 

 holes are just large enough to permit the passage of the long 

 spines of the hawthorn. Now, in transferring comb, he has 

 but to stick these thorns through into the comb to hold it 

 securely. He can also use all the pieces, and still make a 

 neat and secure frame of comb. He finds this arrangement 

 convenient, too, in strengthening insecure combs. In answer 

 to my inquiry, this gentleman said it paid well to bore such 

 holes in all his frames, which are eleven by sixteen inches, 



