Still photo of an open hive, with odd borders at top and bottom. There was much scientific improvement in the design of hives, etc., in the generation before the events of this portion of our narrative, but in these early decades of the 20th century (our current present here, at this page) there were still many nascent opportunities for an advanced mind ready to appropriate the newest manufacturing technologies of the day for the uses of the bee-trade... for instance, the honeycombed aluminum grill of a Peugeot automobile on the roads of France (glimpsed at the sight of an auto-accident?) could give the open minded inquirer inspiration to attempt the commercial manufacture and sale of eternal aluminum combs to the hive trade.     If the experiment was successful, he would replace his entire stock.