462 
BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 
difficulties, the separator has been introduced, as a 
necessary evil, for it is an additional complication, while 
there can be little doubt but that it is regarded by 
the bees with a wee prejudice. The separator, 
placed between the faces of each line of sections — 
running, t.e., from a to b, Fig. no— may consist of tin, 
zinc, or thin wood; but the first is certainly most 
desirable. The bees, as before, work backwards from 
the midrib, until the fixed separator, forbids a further 
extension ; and when the sealing is added, the work 
certainly looks as though the tiny artificers had been 
taught the use of the plumb-line and the rule. 
cs, Crate Side ; r, r, Rest Rail ; s, s, Sections ; sp, Separator ; si. Slot ; /, Finger j 
Space. ' ' 
It is obvious that separators {sp, Figs. 109 and i-ii), i 
consisting of a simple strip of metal extending across 
the boxes (its original form) would prevent the bees ! 
passing by the side incept to the next box, as the ; 
united depth of the incepts of two boxes facing each 
other is needed to give the bees passage-way. To 
obviate this, Mr. W. H. Greer, of Tennessee, and j 
Mr. Sambels amongst ourselves, have, independently, ^ 
made exceedingly similar alterations, by introducing i 
a slot {si) opposite to the sides of the boxes, i 
so that the freedom of communication is practically 
restored. This form of separator, involving another j[. 
1 
