STRONG COLONIES IMPORTANT 183 



are beginning to draw it out and the right hand figure shows a 

 comb nearly drawn. Fig. 95 shows a good brood comb built 

 from a full sheet of foundation on four wires. 



The novice can seldom be made to see the importance of full 

 sheets of foundation and wired frames. To save the extra ex- 

 pense of foundation, he will usually insist on using a narrow 

 strip, with the result that his combs are not well built and are 



Fig. 95. — Comb built on wired frame with full sheet of foundation. 



largely composed of drone cells. To avoid the trouble of wiring 

 the frames, he will trust to the bees to build the combs strong 

 enough, with the result that most of them will be broken the 

 first time they are placed in the extractor. Experience is a good 

 teacher, but here as elsewhere the tuition comes high. The use 

 of proper precautions in the beginning would save much loss. 



Strong Colonies Important. — What has been said elsewhere 

 about the importance of having strong colonies at the beginning 

 of the honey flow will also apply here. \Vhile medium colonies 



