ENTOMOLOGY. 901 



the series of experinieuts do not sui)[)ort tlie assertion frequently made 

 tliat large brood cliaiu})ers tend to prevent swarming. In 11 cases 

 swarms were east by large liives and in only 4 cases by small ones. 



Comb foundation tests. — Experiments were made to determine the rela- 

 tive desirability of and the reasons for ditterenees in different brands of 

 Ibundation. Seven brands were tried, viz. Van Deusen. Given, Dadant, 

 Hunt, Eoot, Ciiven-Hunt, and IJoot-Hunt. During the preceding year 

 such experiments had been made but resulted in a partial failure, since 

 [Sections of too great a width Avere employed. This year, however, the 

 results were very gratifying, lour cases of sections were employed 

 and of these a whole one was devoted to a com])arison of the Hunt and 

 the Given, and another to a comparison of the Van Deusen and the 

 Given. To the other brands only half a case was devoted. 



Smnmarizing the results, the author says that ''the (jnaiiry of the 

 wax, either in its original characteristics or in the method of its manip- 

 ulation previous to the final process of melting it, cuts a considerable 

 figure," as is shown by the fact that in one instance the comb from one 

 of two samples contained more than 28 per cent nmre honey than the 

 other, although the two samples were made on the same machine and 

 were of almost equal weight. Further, the kind of machine used affects 

 the results; aiul light tnundation is inferior to beavy. 



Of the different samples used, that of the Hunt foundation is com- 

 mended most highly, since it excels the (xiven by Oi pex cent, but the 

 latter is IS per cent better than tlie best of the others. 



The comparative value of the ditterent brands with respect to the 

 thinness to which the bees draw it out into comb Avas also determined, 

 and the figures of the mei^surements are tabulated in detail. Com- 

 parison is also made witli foundation nmde in 1S0.'3. so as to bring out 

 the relative improvement that has taken place. In conclusion the 

 author says: 



" (1) In all cases except the Vau Deuseu there seems to have been an iiuproveuient 

 in the fonudatiou over that used iu 1893, and in the case of the Van Deuseu it is to 

 he noted that the bees accepted only the septum, which was shown by their remov- 

 ing the cell walls and building instead more or less regular drone cells. 



"(2) Most remarkable is the imi>rovement in the foundations made by Koot and by 

 the Dadants in so far as the lightness of the sei)ta is concerned. Hy a comparison 

 with the measurements of the septa of the unworked foundation, it was shown tliat 

 the foundation was so skillfully made that the bees either pared down the sej^ta or 

 else manipulated the entire wax of the sejita, using for them only what was neces- 

 sary, so that the resulting comb did not suffer at all so far as thinness was concerned 

 in comparison with the natural comb. 



"(3) The same thinning 2>rocess is very apparent in the drawing uut of the Hunt 

 foundation. 



"(4) In the case of the Van Deusen and generally in a greater or less degree in the 

 case of that made on tiie Given jiress the process has been changed tea thickening one. 



"(.">) In point of thinness of base of the comb ]>roduced, tlie foundations stand in 

 the foilowinjr order: The Dadant first, then in their order tlie Root, the (iiven. the 

 Hunt, and the Van Deusen. 



