REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



221 



In supplying " foundation " to the bees, the object is to save much of this expendi- 

 ture, and thus allow the bees more time and energy for the production of honey. 



The primary object of the present series of experiments, as suggested by Mr. Hol- 

 termann, was to ascertain the relative ease with which the various foundations tested 

 were drawn out and used by the bees ; it, naturally, being held that those would be the 

 most profitable which were utilized in this way to the greatest extent by the bees, or, 

 in other words, those to which the least wax was added by the bees in building the 

 comb. It will be seen that other and perhaps more important results have been inci- 

 dentally obtained. 



The experiments were conducted as follows : — 



The frames were tilled with the various foundations under test, and the exact 

 weight of two inches square, noted. At the close of the season a similar area of two 

 inches square was cut out of the centre of the full comb, the caps of the cells carefully 

 removed and the honey, was extracted with the extractor and finally by successive 

 exhaustions with cold water. The empty honey-comb was finally allowed to dry in the 

 air and was weighed. 



The following tables give in consecutive form the data obtained and the averages 

 therefrom. 



Experiments with Various Brands of " Foundation," 1894. 



