?HE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



editors of our supply-dealing journals are 

 willing that the truth, whatever it may be, 

 in regard to wax production and foundation, 

 shall be known. Because I dislike to mix 

 the supply business with that of journalism 

 is no reason why I should not wish supply 

 dealers to prosper. In fact I am glad to see 

 them prosper ; I am happy in seeing supply- 

 dealing editors prosper ; I like to see any 

 man prosper who is deserving of success, 

 even if he is what the world calls my rival. 

 I have been earnestly, honestly, downright 

 glad to St e Gleanings get a new press and 

 new type and embellish its pages with en- 

 gravings ; to see the A. B. J. improve itself 

 by change of form and a new " dress " of 

 type ; to see the Falconer M'f'g Co. come 

 out with such a bright, clean magazine — but 

 I am digressing. 



It will be seen that this issue gives what 

 might be termed the "other side" of the 

 foundation question. While I haven't a 

 particle of doubt that bees may often be 

 allowed to build combs at a pi'ofit, and while 

 I know that I have for j ears practiced hiving 

 swarms upon starters only in the brood nest 

 and secured more surplus honey in conse- 

 quence, I am forced to admit that, in the 

 face of all this, it may be advisable under 

 some circumstances to furnish newly hived 

 swarms with foundation. One thing is cer- 

 tain, we must have perfect brood combs, 

 even if they cost something. 



When the brood nest is contracted lateral- 

 ly, it reduces the number of combs, and the 

 result is that work is commenced in all of 

 the frames at the same time, and all combs 

 grow alike. For this reason a Langstroth 

 hive contracted to five frames will, other 

 things being equal, lead to the building of 

 straighter combs than will be found in a 

 hive contracted vertically and furnished with 

 eight frames. I certainly have had some 

 as perfect, naturally built combs as it is 

 possible to secure with foundation, and I 

 must admit that I have had some imperfect 

 ones. It seems to me that the suggestion of 

 Mr. J. A. Green, that very light foundation 

 be used, is worth considering and trying. 



To those who prefer no increase, yet wish 

 to allow swarms to build their own brood 

 combs, the plan described in the December 

 issue hy Mr. Boardmau, is most excellent, as 

 I know by experience. It is that of uniting 

 new swarms, at the end of the season, with 

 the old colonies that have swarmed and thus 

 furnished themselves with young queens. 



This allows the newly built combs to be as- 

 sorted at leisure, when the imperfect ones 

 may be melted into wax. 



We can hive a swarm in a contracted brood 

 nest upon the old stand, transfer the supers 

 to the new hive, and practice the Heddon 

 method of preventing after swarming. This 

 forces all of the surjilus into the sections on 

 the new hive. It is all in a " lump." There 

 is only one set of unfinished sections where 

 there would have been two if the old colony 

 had been kept strong and storing in the 

 sections. The old colony will be moderately 

 strong in numbers, have a young queen and 

 plenty of stores in the brood combs. The 

 swarm will be moderately strong in numbers, 

 have an old queen, and but very little honey. 

 Now, at the end of the season we can kill the 

 old queen, give the bees to the old colony, 

 and take away the newly built combs to 

 assort at leisure. 



As I think over my own experience, and 

 the reported experience of others, it seems 

 impossible to lay down any set rules in re- 

 gard to when foundation should be used. 

 The best summing up I can give is, if you 

 can secure perfect combs without it, allow 

 swarms to build their own combs in the 

 brood nest, but give them foundation in the 

 sections ; if you can secure mostly perfect 

 combs and wish to unite the bees in the fall, 

 and then sort the comb, do that ; if you can 

 do neither, then use light wired foundation. 

 It is difficult to sum up the matter in a few 

 words, because, even now there comes to my 

 mind the plan of having combs built by 

 feeding in the fall, as mentioned by Mr. 

 Boardman, and of having them built by 

 weHk colonies and nuclei. It is one of those 

 subjects upon which a man needs to do a 

 whole lot of independent thinking. 



EXXRT^OXED. 



Large, Versus Small, Papers. 



Those who think that the larger the paper 

 the greater its value, will find food for 

 thought in the following item clipped from 

 that wide awake weekly. Printers^ Ink : — 



'' I'rinfers' hik is interested in watching 

 the evolution of the small paper. Even now 

 it is the large paper to which most persons 

 give preference. The majority of people 

 want to feel that they get the worth of their 

 money — in bulk. The standard is gradually 



