170 



AUSTRALASIAN 



TO SECURE STRAIGHT COMBS. 



It is of very great importance to have the combs built 

 perfectly straight, and within the frames. To secure this the 

 hives should stand level, as already explained, so that the 

 frames may hang plumb. When wires are not used and the 

 frames are not hanging vertically the lower parts of the sheets 

 will project beyond them, and if much out, they are very likely 

 to be fastened by the bees to the next frame. There is a very 

 simple device, however — shown in the following engraving — 

 which will prevent the sheet getting out of place and help to 

 support it while being worked out. 



Si*AS 





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Kg. 84a,— DEVICE FOR SECURING STRAIGHT COMBS. 



No. 1 represents a frame of comb-foundation. No. 2 is a 

 section of No. 1. About 1 Jin. from the bottom of the sheet a 

 thin piece of twine is passed round one end bar of the frame, 

 then crossed (as shown) and one part taken along each side of 

 the sheet, crossed again, and tied at the back of the other end 

 bar. The twine need only be tied sufficiently tight to prevent 

 it slipping down the end bars. There is another method of 

 fixing the twine, i.e., by boring a small hole in each end bar 

 and passing the double part of the twine through one, putting a 

 small toggle in the bight, and fastening the two ends after 

 passing them through the other hole. This simple arrange- 

 ment will be found of great value in securing straight combs. 

 The twine may be removed after the combs are fastened to 

 the end bars. 



