44 BEGINNER'S BEE BOOK 



nothing to the product of the hive and consume 

 large quantities of stores after they have 

 reached maturity. This condition is easily pre- 

 vented by filling the frames with full sheets of 

 foundation. Foundation is pure beeswax 

 rolled very thin and impressed with the exact 

 size and shape of worker combs. The bees are 

 quick to avail themselves of this big start 

 toward building their combs and a hive full of 

 worker combs is the result. 



If the swarm finds a home in a hollow tree 

 or other natural cavity or is hived in a box, the 

 combs will be curved and built in an irregular 

 fashion, that facilitates the passing from one 

 part of the brood nest to another. The opera- 

 tions of the beekeeper necessitate straight 

 combs that can be examined without difficulty, 

 so frames are placed in the hives and founda- 

 tion placed in them as above mentioned, to in- 

 sure straight and even combs, as well as cells 

 of the desired size. 



