354 THB BKE-KBEPBR'S GUIDB ; 



times as thick as the partition at the center of natural comb. 

 This is pressed between metal plates so accurately formed that 

 the wax receives rhomboidal impressions which are ^fac simile 

 of the basal wall or partition between the opposite cells of 

 natural comb. The thickness of this sheet is an objection, as 

 it is found that the bees do not thin it down to the natural 

 thickness, though they may thin it much, and they use the 

 shavings to form the walls. Prof. C. P. Gillette (Bulletin 54, 

 Colorado Experiment Station), by mixing lampblack with wax, 

 proved what we have long known, that bees extend the midrib 

 and foundation to complete the cells. As we have seen, the 

 bees form comb in the same way, when they make their own 

 foundation. 



AMERICAN FOUNDATION. 



Mr. Wagner secured a patent on foundation in 1861, but as 

 the article was already in use in Germany, the patent was, as 

 we understand, of no legal value, and, certainly, as it did noth- 

 ing to bring this desirable article into use, it had no virtual 

 value. Mr. Wagner was also the first to suggest the idea of 

 rollers. In Langstroth's work, edition of 1859, page 373, occurs 

 the following in reference to printing or stamping combs : 

 "Mr. Wagner suggests forming these outlines with a simple 

 instrument somewhat like a wheel cake-cutter. When a large 

 number are to be made, a machine might easily be constructed 

 which would stamp them with great rapidity." In 1866, the 

 King Brothers, of New York, in accordance with the above 

 suggestion, made the first machine with rollers, ihe product of 

 which they tried to get patented, but failed. These stamped 

 rollers were less than two inches long. This machine was 

 useless, and failed to bring foundation into general use. 



In 1874, Mr. Frederick Weiss, a poor German, invented the 

 machine which brought the foundation into general use. This 

 was the machine on which was made the beautiful and practi- 

 cal foundation sent out by " John Long," in 1874 and 1875, and 

 which proved to the American apiarists that foundation 

 machines, and foundation, were to be a success. 



In 1876, A. I. Root commenced in his energetic, enthusi- 

 astic way, and soon brought the roller machine (Fig. 168) and 



