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 1s 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. 
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No. 1. 
Fig, 84a, DEVICE FOR. SECURING STRAIGHT COMBS. 
No. 1 represents a frame of comb-foundation. No. 2 is a 
section of No. 1. About lin. 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, z.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. 
