366 COMB FOUNDATION. 
CHAPTER XV. 
Comp FounpatIon. 
674. The invention and introduction of comb founda- 
tion, with the use of movable frames (286), marked an 
important step in the progress of practical bee-culture. 
The main drawback to the perfect success of movable- 
frame hives was the difficulty of always obtaining straight 
combs in the frames (818). Although the bevelled top 
bar (319) often secured this object, yet, in many instances, 
the bees deviated from this guide and fastened their combs 
from one frame to another; and if the matter was not 
promptly attended to, the combs of the hive became as 
immovable as those of box hives. One frame slightly out 
of place was a sufficient incentive for*the bees to fasten 
two frames together. In the management of four large 
Apiaries, previous to the introduction of comb foundation, 
we found that, in spite of our efforts, a certain number of 
colonies would so build their combs, that only a part of the 
frames were movable without the use of a knife. Even the 
combs that were built in the right place were made some- 
what waving, or bulged in spots, and were thus rendered 
unfit for such interchanges as are daily required in ordinary 
manipulations. 
675. Another drawback to success was the building of 
drone comb (225). We have had colonies in which nearly 
one-fourth of the combs were drone-comb. In such hives the 
number of drones that might be raised would be sufficient 
to consume the surplus honey. ‘To be sure, with movable- 
frame hives, such combs can be removed, but the difficulty 
