390 COMB FOUNDATTOK. 



to come out dry. This also makes a better print. The foun- 

 dation, as fast as it comes from the rollers, is laid upon a 

 hard wood block— a dozen sheets or more^ at a time. A 

 wooden pattern is laid over them, and they are trimmed to 

 the proper size, by a knife made for the purpose, whose 

 blade has been wet with soapsuds. The projecting edges arc 

 trimmed off, and the damaged sheets are melted over for 

 future use. 



For the thin grades of foundation, the narrower the sheets 

 are, the thinner the foundation can be made. A wide sheet 

 spreads the rollers by springing the shafts to a certain extent, 

 and is lieavier. 



691. The manufacture of foundation, which at first 

 seemed likely to be undertaken by evei-y Apiarist, has become 

 an industry- of itself, owing to the greater skill and speed 

 acquired by those who make it daily. It might be compared 

 to cigar making. Any Apiarist can make wax mto sheets and 

 run it through rollers and any farmer can raise tobacco and 

 roll its leaves into cigars, but, to the uninitiated, a neat sheet 

 of foundation is as difficult to make as an elegant cigar. Im- 

 proved and expensive machineiy is used in most factories for 

 quick and perfect work. 



692. Well-made foundation will keep for years, in a dry 

 place. It should never be handled when cold; and when too 

 much softened by heat, should be cooled in a cellar, a few 

 hours before it is handled. 



When it is cold, it becomes so brittle, after a few days of 

 exposure, that the least handling will crack it. We have 

 seen hundreds of pounds which had been handled roughly in 

 cold weather, fall to pieces when taken out of the box. The 

 jarring of the boxes had cracked the foundation imperceptibly, 

 so that the sheets appeared perfect, but as soon as they were 

 touched, they fell into numerous pieces. Too much heat has 

 a contrai-y effect. It makes the foundation too malleable. 

 The temperature of the blood is the proper degree at which 

 the bees can best manipulate it and that is also the best tem- 



