IMPLEMENTS. 



53 



moistening this implement to prevent the wax from sticking, and then 

 fix it firmly by pouring melted wax down the other side. In tbe case 

 of top bars having triangular comb guides or a i)rojecting tongue on 

 the underside the foundation can be securely fastened by merely cut- 

 ting five or six slits three-eighths to one-half inch 

 deep in one edge of the foundation and bending the 

 tongues thus formed in alternate directions so as 

 to place the V-edge of the top bar between them, 

 when they can be firmly attached to the top bar by 

 rubbing with a knife handle as before. Soapsuds 

 or starch water may be used to advantage in moist- 

 ening the knife handle. The foundation roller (fig. 

 41), a small disk of hard wood which revolves in a 

 slot at the end of a handle and costs but a few 

 cents, does effective work in fastening foundation 

 in brood frames; in fact, it is rather better than 

 the knife handle for the work just mentioned, ex- 

 cept that it will not reach into the corners of the 

 frames, and to secure the foundation there the knife 

 handle must still be used. The roller will need to 

 be moistened the same as the knife handle. 



It is particularly important that the sheets of foundation be well 

 fastened, for if one edge breaks loose with the weight of the bees it will 

 crumple down in such a way as not only to rum that comb, or rather to 

 prevent the building of a good comb in the frame in question, but also 



Fig. 40.— The Daisy foun- 

 dation fastener. ( From 

 Gleanings.) 



Fig. 41.— Fastening starter of comb foundation m frame. (Original.) 



very likely in the adjoining frames if they have not been previously 

 built out; and in this case damage will probably result to them. To 

 l)revent bulging of the comb it is also essential that the sheets of foun- 

 dation, if not wired, be narrower than the inside deptli of the frame 

 and shorter than its inside length. A full inch of space should be 



