392 A Modern Bee-Farm 
One can only realize that they are ultimately wasted like 
the virgin wax scales produced in excess, and help further 
to litter the floor. 
The more one studies the matter the more is he convinced 
that wax should be a profitable product of the apiary. Bee- 
keepers had been told over and over again that the bees 
consume 20 lbs. of honey while producing 1 lb. of wax 
therefrom ; but on the face of it the idea was merely 
theoretical. An article costing, if we say only 5s. (20 Ibs. 
of honey at 3d.) could not be sold for 1s. 6d. Supply and 
demand regulate prices, and it will be shown herein that 
the market value was, after all, the best test as to the cost 
of producing it. ; 
Practical and Definite Conclusion. 
I built a frame house, soft. long by troft. wide, and 
covered it with calico, so that the bees could not get out 
and would only fly in that space. There were several 
important factors to be considered ; the bees experimented 
with had access to both water and pollen, but no brood was 
allowed at the time. The experiment was carried out where 
the bees were not confined to the hive, and they could 
gather no other food than that supplied to them for the 
purpose. A test of this kind should be carried out under a 
high temperature, and a fair swarm used for the occasion, 
but in my own case I had to be content with rather a low 
temperature, but the result was very satisfactory, and’ I 
found that no more than 64 Ibs. of honey are required in the 
production of a pound of wax. 
Aids to Production. 
The apiarist who has all the colonies and all the combs 
he requires is the one who will make the production of wax 
profitable. He will have a great deal from cappings in 
extracting, and many an odd piece, all of which should be 
