172 
BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 
the Continent, and although, perhaps, we should regard 
it as a little primitive, it may, perchance, be of service, 
and so justifies a few lines of explanation. Comb — 
preferably that made tough by breeding, and which 
contains no honey — is first cut into strips of three 
or four cells deep. The frames to be operated upon 
being inverted, the under side of each top bar is 
painted well with wax, to which a little resin may, 
with advantage, be added. A heated iron (the 
homely poker answering well) brings again the 
cement to the liquid condition, when the comb is 
pressed into place, care being taken that the midrib 
lies along the centre of the wood. The comb strips 
can, if necessary, be flattened by rubbing with a 
heated laundry iron the surface which is to be fixed. 
Methylated spirit, applied to a thin knife, as before 
stated, obviates all ragging, and makes the cutting of 
even tender comb so easy that scarcely a cell wall 
need be broken. 
Even skeps are not beyond the reach of the refine- 
ment of straight combs. Dark pencil lines ijin. bare 
apart give the position for the guides, which may be 
fixed by painting the part each is to occupy three or 
four times with wax, and then, while the latter is 
still liquid, pressing the guide on to it, and holding 
steadily till the work is secure. Wax so used should 
be heated in an arrangement after the form of the 
carpenter’s glue-pot, to prevent burning, while boiling 
water imparts a desirable temperature for working. 
Using glue for comb-fixing is a French fashion. The 
glue is certainly easily manipulated, and the bees 
quickly make all solid, after their own taste. The 
