HOW TO SECURE STRAIGHT COMBS. 55 



Bees will commence working on foundation combs, made of pure bees- 

 wax, much sooner than on old combs, and all the cells being worker 

 size, drone comb will be entirely prevented, but in warm weather when 

 a large swarm is introduced into a hive filled with foundation the heat 

 sometimes becomes so great as to cause the foundations to sag; to entire- 

 ly overcome this objection, we recommend the following, from Mr. W. 

 Davidson, of Brooklyn: 



"Punch two holes with an awl in both the top and bottom bar of the 

 frame, exactly opposite each other. Put No. 24 annealed wire through 

 these holes, passing it along the top bar and twisting the ends together 

 at the bottom. Cut the foundation to fit the frame loosely, leaving one- 

 eighth inch on each side and bottom. Have some wax kept just melted 

 by a lamp. Lay the foundation aginst the wires, and shove it closely 

 aginst the top bar. Now pour a spoonful of wax against the foundation 

 at one end of of the top bar, and quickiy tip up the frame so that it will 

 run to the other end, and the work is done. 



"For neatness in handling press the foundation close to the wires and 

 fasten it in a couple of places with a drop of wax from a brush. I doubt 

 if foundation can be fastened by any other method more rapidly." 



We have tried this device of Mr. Davidson, and have visited his apiary 

 to see how the wires worked . It seems to us that this settles the ques- 

 tion of sagging. 



We are now trying some frames with the wires waxed, and pressing 

 them close against the foundation, we think one will not be able to 

 tell where the wires cross. Another advantage of this process is that 

 the wires hold the top bars of the frames so tightly that they never will 

 be pulled off, which sometimes happens whsre they are only nailed. 



