COMB FOUNDATION. 61 



from crate to crate as required. (2) The combs built upon worker 

 foundation are composed generally of worker cells, so that by 

 the employment of this kind of foundation, the rearing of 

 drones can be limited (195), which is always a useful power in 

 the hands of the bee-keeper. (3) All the wax produced; all 

 old combs, scraps, and cappings removed for extracting pur- 

 poses may be given back to the bees, in the shape of founda- 

 tion, thus effecting a very considerable economy both of wax 

 and time. For example — Eleven sheets of brood foundation 

 to fill the eleven frames of a standard hive, and to supply 

 sufficient wax for the construction of the combs, may be pur- 

 chased for, say, 3s. 6d. ; but it is calculated that to manufacture 

 eleven such combs without the aid of foundation, about 13s. 

 worth of honey may be consumed by the bees (73). If now 

 we estimate the loss of honey left ungathered by the bees while 

 secreting wax and building the bases of the cells, in the season, 

 at. los. to .£1 we find that a supply of 3s. 6d. worth of foundation 

 will not only greatly expedite the labours of the bees and 

 reduce the tax upon their strength imposed by the secreting of 

 wax, but will also effect a saving of from £1 os. od. to 

 ^i los. od. per hive : — 



Honey consumed in the secreting of 2 lbs. of 

 wax to form 11 combs, say T3 lbs. honey to 

 the I lb. wax = 26 lbs. honey at, say, 6d. 

 per lb. ... 



Honey left ungathered by wax-secreting and 

 building bees during partial construction of 

 II combs, say 41 lbs. at 6d. per lb. 



£ s. d. 



I 13 6 

 Cost of II sheets brood foundation, say ... 036 



Estimated saving per hive ... £1 10 o 



Allowing for any over-estimation, if there be such, in the 

 above calculation, there yet remains sufficient margin to point 

 the great desirability, from a pecuniary point of view, of a 

 generous use of foundation in the hives, and for its use in full 

 sheets in both frames and sections. 



114. Adulteration. — It should be stated here that foundation, 

 in common with so many other articles of commerce, has not 

 escaped the attention of the adulterator; and that it is 

 very necessary to see that the foundation used in the hive is 

 pure. That which is adulterated with paraffin wax, or with 

 ordinary grease or fat, will often be refused by the bees, or if 

 built upon, will lack the strength to endure the heat of the 



