60 THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



were on the other. While all press foundations have some serious 

 faults, yet the foundation made on the press entirely does away 

 with the stretching. The two experiences with the press and the 

 plaster molds showed that foundation could be made entirely free 

 from the stretching fault, without at the same time materially 

 adding to the amount of wax used, as the lower half of the founda- 

 tion could be as much lighter as the upper half would be heavier. 

 On coming back to the States from Cuba, I called the atten- 

 tion of one or two of the largest manufacturers of foundation to 

 the matter and asked if they could roll the foundation with one 

 thicker edge, 1:)ut they replied, giving a mechanical reason why it 

 couldn't be done, and the subject was dropped. 



FAIirriNG THE FOUNDATION WITH "WAX. 



Some six or eight years ago, I received a letter from Mr. Henry 

 Yogeler of California, asking me to experiment with a method he 

 had had patented, of painting the upper part of sheets of founda- 

 tion with melted wax for the purpose of strengthening the same. 

 I saw at once that this would probably do the work I had wished 

 to have done and a thorough test proved very satisfactory. I have 

 now used the method in my own Apiaries for several years, and 

 consider it indispensible. While it don't, at least with my l?-inch 

 deep frames, do absolutely away with all stretching, it does come 

 so near ending the difficulty that about all practical trouble in that 

 line is done away with. 



In practice I use a shallow wax-dish over a small oil stove, 

 keeping the wax melted, but no hotter than is necessary to do that, 

 and with a two-inch flat paint brush paint this hot wax over such 

 part of the foundation as one wishes. The brush should be freed 

 from any dripping wax by lightly brushing it over edge of the dish, 

 then quickly over the foundation with a few light strokes first, then 

 finish with several heavy strokes well bearing down on the brush. 

 This leaves quite a rim of wax on the side walls, the more the 

 better. It is somewhat of a knack to do the painting just right, 

 but practice will soon teach one just the right touch. I usually 

 paint at least half way down each sheet of foundation on both sides, 

 but more will do no harm. Foundation made by the use of the 

 Weed process of sheeting the wax seems to stand up much better 

 than when sheeted by any other process. 



FEESINa WAX TO BEES. 



Several methods have been devised and some of them patented 

 for feeding; back wax to the bees for them to use over again in 

 building combs, but so far as I know none have been successful. 

 Thi;- painting process not only strengthens combs, but seems to be 



