41 
lower than the intervening ones, it being intended that 
the lower bars will compel the bees to build their combs 
true upon the higher ones; and if these are lengthened 
down, as they usually are, before others are begun, they 
must build true upon the lower bars also ; the comb on 
the higher bars limiting the space to build otherwise. 
This is a very good arrangement for the bars in the 
center of the frames, but when the principle is applied 
to the top bars, — that is, making every alternate top bar 
so thick, as to have it project two inches below the in- 
tervening bars — it would be very objectionable, on ac- 
count of the uneven hight of comb, and the in. 
creased distance the bees would have to travel to reach 
the honey boxes, which not only would postpone a 
commencement of the work in them, but sometimes en- 
tirely prevent it. The best method of assuring true 
comb in any kind of frame, having the above-named 
triangular comb-guide on the top bar, and so arranged 
as to have the frames running from front to rear, is to 
tip the hive forward so as to stand about twenty-five de- 
grees from perpendicular. By thus tipping the hive for- 
ward, the rear corners of the frames are made to be the 
highest point in the hive in which the bees will cluster, 
and begin their comb on the rear end of the comb- 
guide, and the bees, hanging in clusters, are thus 
brought to connect directly with the corner of the 
comb guide, on which they take additional hold, and to 
which they are almost certain to attach the comb. In 
