Sept. 15, 1911 



561 



have been operated to avoid the queen-pro- 

 ducing impulse; the others were allowed to 

 go their own way untrammeled. Of the 75 

 odd colonies, not one has swarmed in the 

 four years; and of the other 25, about half 

 swarmed each year, and that is the normal 

 average. Now, four years is not long enough 

 to prove so fundamental a thing as this, nor 

 are 75 colonies in one part of the country a 

 full test. It may prove to be but another 

 "\\'ill o' the wisp." 



It has been found possible to induce 

 swarming at will, and to induce supersedure 

 at will. That supports the belief that the 

 fundamental cause of the phenomenon of 

 queen-production has been found. 



It is the desire of the writer that other 

 persons should take up the search for a cause 

 of queen-production; and that they be not 

 misled by any theories he may hold, it is 

 deemed best not to explain those theories at 

 this time. A few persons in other sections 

 are now following the 

 writer's method, and 

 at the end of another 

 season it may be safe 

 to form definite con- 

 clusions and lay them 

 before the public. 



COMB FOUNDATION. 



Are the manufactu- 

 rers of comb founda- 

 tion following the best 

 course in super-refin- 

 ing the wax which 

 they use for founda- 

 tion? Old foundation 

 used to be of quite dif- 

 ferent texture and 

 color from that of to- 

 day. Examination 

 showed that much 

 propolis was left in it. 

 That of to-day is vir- 

 tually free of propolis. 



As the foundation 

 has improved in color, 

 and as the propolis 

 content has decreased, 

 the troubles with sag- 

 ging, stretching, warp- 

 ing, etc., have increas- 

 ed. When the bees 

 build comb they add 

 propolis to it from the 

 start, and this seems 

 to harden and stiffen 

 it. Shut bees in a 

 box or enclosure where 

 they can not get pro- 

 polis, and see what a 

 frail thing the comb 

 they build is. A little 

 less refining, a little 

 less effort to get bright 

 yellow sheets will, per- 

 haps, bring better re- 

 sults when the foun- 

 dation is put in use. 

 Incidentally it should 

 help keep the cost 



from rising. It is just possible that the de- 

 mand for bright yellow foundation is not 

 to the bee keeper's advanti-je. Will the 

 foundation-makers please make a test? 

 Providence, R. I. 



[Notice that Mr. Miller makes a distinc- 

 tion between "budding off'' and "abscond- 

 ing" In a discussion of this kind it is 

 important to keep this in mind. 



The manufacturers of foundation would 

 doubtless be willing to furnish any kind of 

 foundation that the bee-keeper wants. I f 

 one maker turns out clean bright yellow wax 

 while his comiietitor sells a darker article 

 that has been refined less, the chances are 

 that the latter would not get any repeat or- 

 ders. If the darker is stronger, it will need 

 a campaign of education, for it is the bee- 

 keeper who decides the kind of foundation 

 to be used. Gleanings' columns are open 

 for a discussion of this subject. — Ed.] 



Fig. 3.— Gilhain"s show-case, which he furnishes to grocers for display- 

 i»g bis honey. 



