S86 



GLK.VKtNGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Conversations with Doolittle 



At Borodino, New York. 



RFOUXDATlOiV^ A COKVFNIEXCE OR a 

 PROFIT ? 

 " The olrler writers often speak 

 of comb foiDirlatioii, but don't tell 

 us wliether you use it as a con- 

 venieiice or for the profit coming- 



from its use. Is there enough in 

 either to pay fully for its cost and the labor 

 of putting it in frames and sections? '' 



The question of the use of foundation is 

 one that is vitally connected with that of 

 wax secretion. Ever since the general in- 

 troduction of foundation I have had more 

 or less to do with it. At first there was a 

 decided opposition to its use, both on the 

 ground of the suspicion it would create, 

 even though used in the brood-cl^ambers 

 only, and because of the tough bases of that 

 first made, when used in sections for the 

 storing of comb honey. I entertained many 

 doubts about the advisability of using it in 

 sections, and it was a good many years 

 before I could make up my mind that I 

 wanted to use it in that vvaj', prefemng to 

 stick to the old method of using natural- 

 comb starters. Then I used it in very nar- 

 row starters, and later on in full sheets in 

 the sections, and finally had most of the 

 brood-combs built on it. 



I made an observation hive which was so 

 arranged that 1 could use one, two, or three 

 frames. With this hive I could watch the 

 development of the foundation into comb 

 after a sheet was put in. Foundation ac- 

 complishes two things in a very satisfactorj'^ 

 manner when carefully used. In the brood- 

 chamber, all worker and straight combs can 

 be obtained. In the sections it can be used 

 as starters, or the section filled so nearly 

 full that the bees will attach the combs 

 more nearly all around than is generally 

 the case where starters of natural combs are 

 used, while it is much more convenient. 



In my study of this matter I find that 

 there are times when more than a starter 

 in the sections is practically a waste of the 

 wax contained in the foundation; for, in 

 many instances, the bees simply add tlieir 

 own wax to the imprint for the cells, not 

 even touching the foundation by way of 

 tliinning the base or rudimentary cells. 

 With a copious flow of nectar, such as we 

 oflen have dui-ing our basswood bloom, the 

 wax-producing bees are so loaded with their 

 own secretion of wax, that, with no comb 

 to build, they will use this wax in tie place 

 of propolis for the filling of craclis and 

 "plastering" up about the hive. At such 



times they will apparently do better work 

 in the sections where only starters are used, 

 and gi\e far more brittle and enjoyable 

 comb for eating. But the very quality that 

 ma]:es it less edible is an improvement on 

 its shipping quality, so that the combs in 

 sections, built on full sheets of foundation, 

 will go some distance in jierfect order; 

 wliile in the same shipment, sections having 

 only natural comb containing the honey in 

 them will become sadly broken in transit. 



Do not misunderstand me. The product, 

 where sections are filled with full sheets of 

 foundation, even v. here the bees sim^dy add 

 their own wa'c to it without anj^ drawing 

 out or thinning, is less edible only on ac- 

 count of a somewhat increased toughness 

 and amount of wax, as the taste is in no 

 way impaired. The amount of thinning 

 depends very inuch upon conditions. The 

 temperature, Jieeds of comb at the time, 

 whother urgent or not, the amount of wax 

 being secreted, and perhaps other minor 

 points, all ha^'e to do with the matter. I 

 hold to t)ie opinion that wax is secreted 

 moio or less freely at all times during a 

 fiow of nectar, the quantity varying as 

 influenced by the prospect of its need, the 

 presence and number of bees of a proper 

 age, and the state of the flow of nectar. If 

 it is true that wax is usually secreted in 

 sufficient quantities to hold the honey 

 gathered, the use of full sheets in sections 

 cannot pay, viewed from the point of sav- 

 ing of honey consumption in wax secretion. 

 But from the viewpoint of having the combs 

 more perfectly attached to the sections all 

 around, giving a greater freedom from 

 breakage in shipping, foundation becomes 

 of value in marketing honey in distant cities 

 that would not be considered when our sec- 

 tion honey was wholly disposed of locally. 



Some advocate using foundation in full 

 sheets in the sections to avoid having drone 

 comb, as worker comb gives a nicer finish 

 when capped over. Years ago, before the 

 advent of foundation, drone comb was 

 STeally admired, as it gave a little glimpse 

 of the quality of the honey contained in the 

 combs. With worher comb capped by black 

 bees, a box of buckwheat honey could not 

 be easily told from one of clover. But with 

 drone comb, the thin capping next the cell 

 Avails would tell the color of the hone}' in 

 the combs in the whole box. 



There are few successful apiarists who do 

 not think that it pays to use full sheets of 

 foundation in frames and sections. 



