ARTIFICIAL AIDS TO COMB-BUILDING. 
191 
foundation; if too cool, it will not adhere. The former 
error is hardly possible in chilly weather. Some re- 
commend that the sheet be waxed on both sides, from 
which I beg to dissent. The line of molten wax 
partly conceals the form of the cells lying beneath it, 
and hinders the work of extending the comb at this 
point. Keeping one side perfectly clear secures an 
immediate building-out of the walls of the upperniost 
cells on that side, and so prevents the falling of 
combs, of which complaints are sometimes heard. 
Dr. Bartrum, some years since, asked if I thought 
this one-side fixing really strong enough, referring to 
a Stewarton that I had supplied throughout with 
foundation. My answer consisted in lifting and 
carrying the inverted Stewarton body-box by the 
foundation attached to its middle bar. 
To avoid the need of molten wax, some bring the 
circular saw through the middle of the top bar, 
dividing the latter up to the ears, in order that 
the edge of the foundation may be inserted. The 
operation is, however, not an easy one, and is 
unfair to the foundation in two ways — first, in the 
struggle to get it into place, a partial fracture is 
likely to be produced, to result in complete break- 
down when the foundation is warmed in the hive, 
and called upon to support the weight of the adherent 
bees; and, second, the insertion is not so easily 
accomplished near the ends of the saw-cut as in its 
middle, inducing, unless great care is exercised, buck- 
ling, which will ’develop most annoyingly whilst the 
foundation is being drawn out in the hive. Mr. Hooker 
suggests opening the saw-cut by a wedge, and then 
