116 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



This is a consumption. of stores of from fifty to one hundred per cent 

 in excess of anything I have heretofore known when the bees had in 

 my estimation wintered tolerably well. Of course if this extra con- 

 Bumption results in an appreciable advantage to the colonies it is well, 

 but if it causes also an abatement of the vitality of the bees it is greatly 

 to be deprecated. 



In conclusion it will be noticed that I took out the bees much earlier 

 than is usually recommended, for there were no signs yet of the opening 

 of soft maple blossoms, the time which is generally set as the most de- 

 sirable for that operation. The greater ray exi)erience the more I am 

 inclined to the desirability of early removal from winter quarters. When 

 most good colonies stand exposure, without extra protection, to the 

 weather of the entire winter, it would seem that it should go without 

 saying that any colony should stand the vicissitudes of early April with-, 

 out serious injury, and 1 have found, at least to my own satisfaction, that 

 it is so. There are several substantial advantages in early removal : 



1. There is much greater comfort in the labor of removal, 



2. A few only need be taken out on any one day. 



3. There is little or none of the crazy out-rushing and commingling 

 of the bees of the different colonies. 



4. The bees settle down to honest work more quickly and permanently 

 and 



5. The beginnings of attempts to rob are much more easily and effec- 

 tively prevented, and much vexatious watching is thereby rendered un- 

 necessary. 



Since the preceding concerning high temperature in wintering was 

 written sufficient time has passed to warrant me in saying that the 

 rearing of brood while in the cellar apparently proved to be no detriment 

 to the bees, though at the same time it is doubtful whether it was of 

 any advantage. 



COMPARISON OF SECTION COMB FOUNDATIONS. 189fi. 



Comb foundation bears about the same relation to the apiarist ;is 

 commercial fertilizer is to the farmer who is compelled to use it. In 

 each case the quality of the article has much to do with the success 

 and prosperity of the class using it. It is of the utmost importance, con- 

 sequently, that purchasers be informed in so far as may be of the char- 

 acter of the goods offered for sale by different dealers, which will 

 result not only in present safety to the purchaser but also (and this 

 is perhaps even more important) compels manufacturers continually 

 to make every effort to keep the quality of their product at the highest 

 possible point. It is therefore deemed desirable that the experiments 

 heretofore made with comb foundation should be repeated and this has 

 been done during the seasons of 1896 and 1897. 



It is all the more important that these experiments should be con- 

 tinued, because new methods are from time to time being learned and 

 practiced in the manipulation, and it is of the highest interest that it 

 be known if possible whether the methods affect the product favorably 

 or otherwise. During the past year, especially, there has been a marked 

 change in methods by the adoption by our leading manufacturers of the 

 Weed invention. This is a machine the most important feature of 

 which seems to be the contrivance by which melted wax is made into 



