HOW TO SECURE STRAIGHT COMBS. 
49 
menced, they must build true upon the lower bars also. This is 
a good arrangement for the central bars, but when applied to the 
top bars — making half of them two inches thick — would be very 
objectionable, on account of the uneven height of the combs and 
the increased distance the bees would have to travel to reach the 
honey boxes, which would postpone and sometimes entirely pre- 
vent a commencement being made in them. The best method 
applicable to any kind of frame hives in which the frames run 
from front to rear, is simply to elevate the rear of the hive thirty 
degrees and let it stand in that position until the combs are 
started in all the frames. By thus tipping the hive forward, the 
bees will cluster in the highest corner of each frame, and hanging 
in perpendicular festoons are brought in direct contact with the 
sharp edges of the comb-guides, to which they are almost certain 
to attach the combs. The hive must be tipped immediately after 
hiving the swarm, being careful to have the stand level that the 
sides of the hive may be plumb. When the old style of frames 
are used, the lower corners of the top bars should be rounded 
off, as the spaces enable the bees to cluster between and above 
the top bars, and they frequently fail to start the combs within 
the frames if any corners except those on the comb-guides are 
presented. 
In the improved movable comb-frame the top bars fit closely 
together, leaving no corners projecting except the sharp edge of 
each comb-guide. Since their invention we find it unnecessary 
to tip the hives, taking care only to have the stand level that the 
sides of the hive may be exactly perpendicular. 
4 
