REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 223 



cally to the economy of supplying the bees with a foundation of not more than seven 

 and a half feet to eight feet to the pound. 



3. — That a dark or deeply coloured foundation gives a dark and unsightly " fish- 

 bone " in the resulting comb, materially affecting its palatability and injuring the sale. 



4. — That in addition to what has already been said, there appears to be some support 

 to the theory that certain waxes are more easily worked and drawn out by the bees 

 than others. The results obtained in the experiments with the " foundations in general 

 use" and the "inferior waxes " from the Root mill, would, apparently, lend weight to 

 this view. The facts at our command do not at present allow of any general conclusion 

 being arrived at on this point. There can be no doubt, however, that this factor can- 

 not, in view of the data here given, be of equal importance with that of the weight of 

 wax supplied to the bees in the foundation. 



5. — That the present experiments give no definite results that would enable us to 

 draw conclusions as to the relative merits, as regards working by the bees, of wax mil- 

 led at high and low temperatures. 



It might be urged from what has already been said, that it would be economical 

 to supply all the wax necessary for the construction of the comb. There are, however, 

 no facts to support this extreme view. The production of the wax by the bees is a 

 normal function, and its entire cessation might possibly affect the honey yield or lead 

 to a disarrangement of the general health of the bees. There is probably a limit in the 

 amount of wax that can be advantageously furnished as foundation, a limit to be ascer- 

 tained by future experiments. 



SOME SPECIALLY NOXIOUS WEEDS. 



Of the many weeds which have b^en sent in for identification or inquired about dur 

 ing the past year, there are a few which require more than a passing notice just now. 

 Great attention has been given to this most important subject by the superintendents 

 of all of our branch farms. Mr. S. A. Bedford, of Brandon, has forwarded for identifi- 

 cation many specimens from farmers in his district, and has done good work in speaking 

 at meetings on the practical treatment of these agricultural pests. Mr. Bedford has be- 

 sides jDrepared for exhibition to farmers, specimens of the more injurious weeds. Mr. 

 Angus Mackay, of Indian Head, has done excellent work in the same line, and has col- 

 lected for the North-west Assembly specimens of Tumble Mustard, French Weed and 

 others, for exhibition purposes. Mr. Thomas Sharpe, of Agassiz, states that there is a 

 good deal of interest shown by farmers in British Columbia about noxious weeds. 

 He thinks that many of these plants are being introduced in packages of trees, stock 

 cars, etc., and has asked that a collection of mounted weeds might be supplied him for 

 exhibition, as many of the farmers do not know the appearance of some of the worst 

 weeds until these get to be a serious pest, and eradicating them is a costly undertaking. 

 •Col. W. Blair writes in a similar strain from Nova Scotia, and among other things 

 reports that the Corn Spurry (Speryula arvensis, L.j, lately recommended by some as a 

 fodder plant, is one of the very worst weeds in his province. I would draw particular 

 attention to the following imported weeds which call for special efforts. 



