For the American Bee Journal. 



The Sagging of Comb Foundation. 



W. G. WALTON. 



The sagging of comb foundation, 

 while the bees are drawing it out, seems 

 yet to be a question of doubt even among 

 leading apiarists. In the September 

 number of the Bee Journal I noticed 

 an article by Mr. James Heddon on this 

 subject, which surprised me somewhat. 

 I dislike to disagree with a man like Mr. 

 Heddon on any question of bee-culture, 

 but I mil st say that I think he is behind 

 the times on comb foundation. 



The following engraving will show my 

 method of placing it in the frames. I 

 gave the same idea in a letter published 

 on page 314 of the Bee Journal for 

 1S76. I had used it previous to that date 

 and since, and tried it thoroughly before 

 giving my method. I have shown this 



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plan to about 100 bee-keepers who have 

 tried it, and have thus far failed to find 

 one that ever had the foundation sag 

 so much that it could be noticed, or 

 built crooked or buckle. I have made 

 in my own apiary, I presume, during the 

 time since it has been invented, thou- 

 sands of combs by this plan, and never 

 had the slightest trouble, and we have it 

 as hot sometimes as 10.". in the shade. I 

 see Mr. D. A. Jones is recommending 

 the tin-pointed comb-holder, to hold up 

 the comb foundation while it is drawn 

 out. I think the wired foundation is of 

 no value in this latitude, for if comb 

 foundation is cut as shown in the above 

 engraving. with a saw-mark deep enough 

 in the top- bar to let it go up }{ of an 

 inch, and either nail or wax along the 

 top, as well as wax half way down the 

 side, where the comb foundation touches 

 the wood, it will not sag. I should like 

 for Mr. Heddon, or any one who has not 

 already tried it, to do so, and report in 

 the Bee Journal. 

 I think I was among the first to use 



comb foundation in Canada, and have 

 had considerable experience with it, I 

 have never had any, with the exception 

 perhaps of a dozen combs (while I was 

 experimenting with it), but what has 

 been straight, beautiful, and all alike, 

 and no drone cells in any of it except 

 when I desired them. All that is re- 

 quired is ordinary foundation, cut in 

 the above shape, made on any machine, 

 out of pure wax, to make straight 

 combs without sagging, although I pre- 

 fer the Dunham over any make I have 

 yet seen. 



If any one should ask why those 

 points are left at the bottom corners of 

 the frame, in the above cut, I can inform 

 them it is to save the queen and bees 

 from being hurt when sitting the frames 

 on the ground, about the hive, either 

 upright or on the side, as well as form- 

 ing a guide for the same purpose, while 

 lifting the frame out of the hive, of 

 which there is great danger, especially 

 with a young queen, when she runs 

 down to the bottom-bar or side to hide 

 while the frames are being moved. 



Hamilton. Canada, Oct. 8, 1880. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Systematic Bee-Keeping. 



o. CLUTE. 



Order is one of the first elements of 

 success. The merchant whose business 

 is not in order is constantly harassed 

 with difficulties, and, in the end, fails. 

 The farmer who conducts his work 

 without system will ultimately have an 

 exhausted soil, short crops, poor prices, 

 and a ten-per-cent. mortgage that blank- 

 ets all his acres. The bee-keeper who 

 runs his bees in a systemless way will 

 get but little benefit from the good sea- 

 sons, and will be utterly routed by the 

 bad ones. 



1. A work-shop, or " bee-room, "as my 

 children call my shop, is very import- 

 ant. This may be a room in the house, 

 a part of the wood-shed, a corner of the 

 barn— any place at a convenient dis- 

 tance from the hives, where all tools and 

 appurtenances of the apiary can be kept, 

 and where work can be conveniently 

 done. In this room are the work- bench 

 and the tool-closet. In this room the 

 bee-keeper can profitably employ every 

 rainy day throughout the season. An 

 old stove that has been discarded from 

 the house, with a little fixing, can be 

 made to do duty in the shop for several 

 years. Then in fall and winter and 

 early spring full preparation can be 

 made for the next summer's campaign. 

 Hives can be made and painted ; frames 



