ARTIFICIAL AIDS TO COMB-BUILDING. 
175 
cover slightly less than half the width of the bar. The 
wax may be painted on with a brush, but it is far better 
to hold the top bar against the ball of the left thumb, 
by pressing upon b with the fingers, and so inclining 
the frame that a gutter (^) is formed, one end of which 
is much higher than the other. At the top part of the 
gutter, now pour in a few drops of clear wax, which 
should be many degrees above its melting point, and 
will run from end to end, quickly or slowly, as the 
decline is increased or decreased. The wax, settincr, will 
adhere to the bar with astonishing tenacity, while the 
slip may be removed at once, since to it no attachment 
has taken place, the wax standing as a thin wall [w). 
Fig. 45.— Spoon for Dropping Molten Wax. 
The latter is made both more solid, and more symme- 
trical, by a slight chamfering of the slip {b). It will be 
modelled by the bees into a midrib of the usual pattern, 
while time will be saved, since operations will be 
started immediately at two or three points in the length 
of the guide, where, naturally, one alone would have 
been taken, and less wax need be secreted. The 
plain guides should not, however, be made more than 
Jin. deep, or they will considerably puzzle the poor 
little sculptors, whose pittings w’ill then frequently be 
misplaced, so that corrections of their first sketch 
will hinder more time than has been saved. Frames 
so furnished, placed between straight combs, and 
