63. If the production is to be section comb honey, supers in that style must be chosen for whatever style of hive you determine to use. Again, the consensus of opinion among beekeepers in this country has largely determined that the section super taking 41/4 square by 17/8 wide two beeway sections is the standard. Probably 99 out of every 100 section supers sold are of this style. Any beekeeper beginning the production of honey, or deciding to make a change in the style of his supers, would do well to pause and consider carefully the reasons why the 41/4x17/8 two beeway section and the super that accommodates it, have become the standard in this country. We recently asked a number of prominent beekeepers why they thought this section had become standard and some of the reasons vouchsafed were that this style of section when filled with honey ships more safely and that sections of this size and shape are easiest to clean. Also they said that the additional inside furniture for the supers accommodating this style of section was simpler, easier to understand and use and was more readily cleaned than any other style.

64. The super, whether for comb or extracted honey, will have to be of the Modified Dadant, 10-frame or 8-frame size, depending upon the size of hive body you have determined to use as the brood chamber. The 10-frame size super taking 41/4x17/8 two beeway sections contains 28 sections and the 8-frame 24. The M. D. super holds 32 sections.

65. In preparing sections for the supers to be given to the bees, each section should contain a full sheet of foundation in the form of a top and bottom starter. See pictures 25 and 26. The foundation used in the sections is of a type with a much thinner base than is used in the brood combs, for combs constructed from this comb foundation are to be eaten and are not to have bees reared in them. Where too heavy foundation is used in sections the wax remains in the mouth of the consumer after the honey is swallowed and does not give a good impression. The presence of this thick midrib in section comb honey caused by the use of heavy foundation in the sections, is commonly known as a "fishbone" section. The foundation known as thin super does not do this and furthermore it is sufficiently strong to stand the weight of the bees on it when placed in the hive. Only by the use of full sheets of foundation in each section can one obtain a maximum number of well filled sections. One pound of thin super foundation will fill 112 sections with top and bottom starters. It is the well finished section that brings the maximum selling price.

66. In the production of section comb honey, we do not recommend that less than 3 and preferably 4 section honey supers be used per hive. It is also advisable to purchase more sections and foundation than are required to fill this number of supers once. Thus in the rush season filled supers of section comb honey may be removed from the bees, the filled sections taken out of the supers, and replaced by new sections, containing full sheets of foundation.

67. The folding of sections is of more importance than many beekeepers seem to think. If the sections are not folded true, they will not retain the proper shape and when filled with honey if in the improper shape may not be packed in shipping cases or show cases without their odd shape making it very difficult to pack them so that they will not be broken in transit. Furthermore, it is of a great deal of importance to put in the foundation so that is is quite firmly attached. Unless great care is used in putting in foundation both in frames and sections, the foundation may break loose when it has been given to the bees, drop down, and result in cross comb that has to be broken up and frequently kills many bees in removing it from the hive. It also results in sections of honey that are not salable.

68. Another style of section super frequently used is one taking no beeway section 4 x 5 x13/8 inches in dimensions or 41/4 square by 11/2 inches. These are sections that have no beeways cut into them and the supers adapted to them have slatted fences placed between the rows of sections in the super to allow passageways up through the super for the bees. Many beekeepers report the plain or no beeway style of section as not so practical to clean and others claim that it does not ship so well as the square beeway section. The 10-frame size super takes 32 of the no beeway sections and the 8-frame size takes 28.

69. One very important phase of assembly is care in nailing up hive bodies, frames and all hive parts. See figures 20 and 21. The correct style of nails carefully figured out and included with the packages are the best size in all cases. Care should be used in driving nails not to split hive parts, as this means breakage under handling later or cracks through which water may enter the hive or heat escape in winter. Two good coats of paint are recommended for all outside hive parts that are exposed to the air. Metal covers should be treated before being painted so paint will hold, by rubbing a dilute solution of vinegar or a solution 4 ounces to the gallon of water of copper sulphate over the metal. Putting in foundation in frames and sections is a painstaking job if done rightly. Good foundation deserves a special design of frame for its use or it will sag or break loose in use resulting in direct losses to the careless beekeeper. See illustration on page 27 designed to assist you in this work.