1898. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNALo 



499 



frame fitted with a full sheet of foundation and put into a 

 good eolony during the summer will on the following day not 

 only contain a partly-workt-ont eonib, but the newly-built cells 

 will in all jjrobability each contain a tiny egg. The great 

 value of foundation cannot well be over-estimated, and there- 

 fore I strongly advise its use on all occasions when practica- 

 ble. The cost — 2s. per pound (less in quantity) — is a really 

 small item when the amount of extra surplus resulting from 

 its use in the brood-chamber, as well as supers, is taken iuto 

 consideration. 



As generally made there are about six sheets the size of 

 standard frames to the pound, tho seven to ton for wiring are 

 sold. It is not. however,, advisable to have a sheet of less 

 thickness than seven sheets, at the most, to the pound will 

 give, even for wiring ; as thin sheets are apt to sag and spoil 

 the appearance and usefulness of tho combs. 



The flsing of the sheets of foundation in the saw-cut of 

 top-bars of frames has been explained in a previous article, 

 but tho tlio foundation is by this method expeditiously Hxt in 

 tho frames, tho latter must be handled very carefully, other- 

 wise the now combs will fall out. Then again the least move 

 of the hive from a horizontal position by accident, or the set- 

 tling of the ground after rain, will throw the combs, which 

 are beiug built together, out of the frames ; neither can colo- 

 nies with such combs be moved without fear of the combs col- 

 lapsing, except when they become tough by usage. 



All these disadvantages disappear by wiring the sheet 

 of foundation into the middle of the frame. The foundation 



Fixing Foundation in Frames. 



is not only placed in tlie right place and kept there, but the 

 saw-cut in wliich the wax-grub is often found may te done 

 away with, by using a plain top-bar. 



To wire a sheet of foundation into a frame proceed as 

 follows : Put through the side-bars towards the inside of tho 

 frame, a thin French nail about an incli in length, half an 

 inch from the top, and an inch from tho bottom, and turn the 

 ends with a pair of small pliers to form hooks ; then lay the 

 frame down to be better able to follow the instructions. Let 

 the bottom-bar be near and the top-bar away from the opera- 

 tor. Now take about two yards of No. 30 tinned wire, make 

 a noose on one end and hook it on the nail near the bottom of 

 the side-bar on the left hand, run it across to the other bottom 

 nail, pass it through the loop, and thence through the hook at 

 the top of tho same side-bar ; then carry it across under tho 

 top-bar and pass it through the top hook on the other side- 

 bar. Tho nails, as we have come to them so far, we will num- 

 ber from starting, 1 , 2, 3, 4. We have now to run the wire 

 along near the bottom of the frame up to the top and across 

 under the top-bar to the loft hand side. Now draw the wire 

 tightly and take it back to No. 3, whicli gives two wires un- 

 der tho top-bar. From 3 pass the wire under the middle of 

 tho bottom strand that rujis fi'om 1 to 2 ; pull tiglit and carry 

 it over No. 4, and then down tho loft hand side to No. 1. 

 From No. 1 pass it over tho middle of the lower of the two 

 strands under the top-bar, finally drawing it tightly and fast- 

 ening it off at No. 2. It the wire has been drawn taut during 

 the process of wiring the bottom strand, one of the top 

 strands will be drawn inwards, and by the crossing of tho 

 wires a diamond will be formed in the center of tho frame. 



Next procure a piece of board to just fit inside the framo 

 while being only half as thick. Tack onto the back of this 

 board laths top and bottom to project beyond tho side-bars, so 

 that when a wired frame is laid upon tho board these projec- 

 tions hold tho frame with the wires just resting upon tlio 

 board. Tlie framo is tlion raised while a sheet of foundati«ni 

 is placed upon the board and then returned. Tho wires, 

 which are now lying upon tho foundation, are ready for em- 

 bedding. Tho next step is to press the wires down until they 

 are embedded in the middle of the sheet of foundation. Vari- 

 ous devices are employed to do this work properly, but then- 

 is not one worthy of mention save tlie " Woiblot " spur em- 

 bedder. This is a tootht wheel, and if it is placed in hot water, 

 and when hot run along the wires, they will sink down and 

 remain in the foundation, while the bees build their comb 



upon it. When the combs are completed the wires will be 

 seen running along the mid-rib at the bottoms of the cells. 



Tho the saw-cnt in the top-bar of the brood-frames may be 

 dispeust with, it should be retained in the shallow frame top- 

 bar, for wiring in this frame is not necessary, and the use of a 

 saw-cut for fixing the foundation will be simple and effective. 



The foundation to be used iii sections must, as the honey 

 therein stored is eaten with the wax, be very thin and irre- 

 proachable as regards color. In dipping the boards in the 

 wax-tank only thin sheets are taken, and these when set are 

 past through the rollers of tho foundation-mill adjusted so 

 that the thinnest sheet possible maybe produced. The best 

 super foundation will give nearly 100 sheets, four Indies 

 square, to the pound : therefore the sections in five crates may 

 be fitted with full sheets of foundation for 3s., the price of a 

 pouncl of super foundation. Full sheets are not really neces- 

 sary, tho they are an advantage, and consequently triangular 

 pieces may be used. Whether full sheets or "starters" — as 

 small pieces are called — are us(>d, they must bo fixt in tho 

 middle of the section and firmly attacht to the top. This may 

 bo done by bending the edge of the sheet or starter and press- 

 ing it firmly upon tho part to which it is to be fixt ; or while 

 held in position a little melted wax should be run along the 

 edge of the shoot which will attach it secui'ely to the middle 

 of the top of the section. 



A simpler and most satisfactory way of fixing is to pro- 

 cure sections tliat have a slanting saw-cut through the middle 

 of the end which, when the section is placed in the crate, will 

 be the top. In putting the section together it is completed 

 except that the halt of the top is loft unfastened until the edge 

 of the foundation is placed upon the level, when it Is closed, 

 thus completing the section and holding the foundation 

 securely in the middle. 



FKEDING BEES. 



The second, and by no means the least in importance of 

 the aids to success is feeding. Food given judiciously is of 

 immense advantage, for without it many bee-keepers would 

 undoubtedly have empty instead of full supers. Food in some 

 form may be required in the spring to help on a colony to its 

 full strength in readiness for the honey-flow ; it is none the 

 less needful during the summer, when through a continuance 

 of unfavorable weather loss by death is otherwise inevitable ; 

 but it is often of supreme importance at the end of the season, 

 so that there shall ^e surrounding the bees food enough to 

 serve not only for the dally wants but also through the eaj'ly 

 part of the year, when tho new honey Is not being gathered 

 the stores are drawn upon largely for iDrood-rearing. 



The best I'ce-food at all times, if it could bo given, is cer- 

 tainly honey, but in its place the only substitute admissible is 

 pure cnnc-sugiir either in its dry sta|e or in the form of syrup. 



Syrup is best used when a supply must- be given quickly, 

 as in the case of a colony on the verge of starvation, or at the 

 end of the season when making up the necessary quantity of 

 food for wintering. There must, however, be a ditferenco in 

 the consistency in the spring and autumn syrups — in fact the 

 latter should bo arout twice that of the former. The reason 

 for this difference is that in the spring the bees leave the hive 

 for water with which to thin tho food they, in their capacity 

 of nurse-bees, prepare for the qucou and grubs; and when 

 syrup is given witli a good proportion of water, those journeys 

 to the pump or drains are rendered unnecessary, while In the 

 autumn, unless syrup about the (-(uisistency of honey is sup- 

 plied, the bees will have considerable trouble in getting rid of 

 the superfluous moisture in order to seal It over ; and if they 

 could not do this the syrup remaining exposed might, and 

 probably would ferment and cause dysentery. 



Syrup is made by molting (boiling is not necessary) three 

 pounds of cane loaf or wliito crystallized sugar in a quart of 

 hot water, for spring food ; and six pounds to the quart of 

 water for autumn feeding. 



If syrup is given from the close of the honey-flow to in- 

 duce a continuance of egg-laying, much of It will be stored in 

 the cells. To prevent this and at tlie same time save trouble, 

 dry sugar feeding may be adopted. For this i)urpos(^ tho best 

 kind of sugar is I'orto Rico, because it Is a fine-grained, pure 

 cane-sugar. Demarara is not rocouimendod, for two reasons : 

 chemicals are used in tlio manufactiiro of some samples, and 

 the grains are too large for satisfactory work. The Porto 

 Rico may bo given in any manner so that it does not get 

 wasted, and is in a position to receive the moisture from the 

 brood-nest. 



A simple method is to fill a basin with the sugar ami tress 

 it level ; then place upon it a thin board, in the middle of 

 which two or three holes have been bored or burnl< with a red- 

 hot poker, about the size of a fingor-end. If then the basin 

 with tho board under it bo inverted, and placed <in a hive im- 

 mediately over a hole in the center of the brood uest — that is 



