BEE ESCAPES.
Fig. 39.—The Porter spring bee escape.
The bee escape ([fig. 39]) is an important labor-saving invention for the honey producer. A number of them may be regarded as necessary in every apiary. They are inserted in holes bored in a honey board and used in freeing supers from bees, as described under "Honey production."
FOUNDATION FASTENERS.
For sections.—Several styles of implements for fastening thin foundation in sections have been devised. All of them do the work well. A simple one, which is also low priced, is Parker's; Clark's and the Daisy are also highly recommended, and A. C. Miller's is very complete, working automatically. The latter, and the Daisy shown in [fig. 40], each require the use of a lamp.
Fig. 40.—The Daisy foundation fastener. (From Gleanings.)
For frames.—If the top bars of the frames have a slot or saw kerf one-eighth to three-sixteenths inch deep on the underside, made by passing them lengthwise over a circular saw, sheets of foundation can be very readily fastened by slipping the edge into this groove and running melted wax along the angle formed on each side by the foundation and the top bar. Or a wedge-shaped strip may be crowded in at the side and secured with small wire nails. If the top bar is flat on the underside it will be necessary to press the foundation firmly against it; that is, to incorporate the edge of the wax sheet into the wood of the top bar by rubbing it with a smooth bit of hard wood or bone, such as a knife handle, moistening this implement to prevent the wax from sticking, and then fix it firmly by pouring melted wax down the other side. In the case of top bars having triangular comb guides or a projecting tongue on the underside the foundation can be securely fastened by merely cutting five or six slits three-eighths to one-half inch deep in one edge of the foundation and bending the tongues thus formed in alternate directions so as to place the V-edge of the top bar between them, when they can be firmly attached to the top bar by rubbing with a knife handle as before. Soapsuds or starch water may be used to advantage in moistening the knife handle. The foundation roller ([fig. 41]), a small disk of hard wood which revolves in a slot at the end of a handle and costs but a few cents, does effective work in fastening foundation in brood frames; in fact, it is rather better than the knife handle for the work just mentioned, except that it will not reach into the corners of the frames, and to secure the foundation there the knife handle must still be used. The roller will need to be moistened the same as the knife handle.
