and its Economic Management. 399 
2 ozs. into the cells. This would still leave 8 ozs. con- 
sumed, or 2 ozs. per day while in active flight. Then for 
the 20 days we have 40 ozs. consumed to preserve 
life, which deducted from the 5 lbs, leaves 2 lbs. 8 ozs. 
actually used in producing the 64 ozs. of wax; thus, to 
produce I lb. of wax 62 lbs. of honey would be consumed. 
When the cost of living was carried out the bees were 
reduced about one-third, so that 2 ozs. per day should be 
within the mark. In the height of the season with every- 
thing favorable it is only reasonable to say that the cost 
of production is really much less, and probably less than 
5 lbs. of honey are consumed in actually producing one 
pound of wax under natural conditions. 
Comparative Cost. 
In the course of the experiment I found that about eight 
standard frames (14in. by 84in.) of new comb will give one 
pound of refined wax. It is surprising what a large amount 
of refuse is left after melting the most beautifully white 
combs, so that the actual weight of wax obtained is much 
less than that of the original combs. Odserve this: one 
pound of wax, costing the producer less than ts. 6d., fills 
eight frames with finished comb. To do this with founda- 
tion it will cost, in hard cash, 2s. 6d. for the base only ; to 
this the bees add considerable of their own production 
before the combs can be completed ; making the total cost 
much over 3s. Facts are stubborn things which cannot be 
ignored, and the bee-keeper will do well to consider if it 
is better to produce wax by saving the cost of brood 
foundation rather than attempt to make his bees manufac- 
ture it for sale, though the latter might very well be done 
in tropical regions, or even some other localities where 
Nature’s bounteous hand provides honey by the scores of 
tons, and the market value of it is but small. 
