BULLETIN No. 6. 



BEE-CULTURE. 



I. ON THE USB OF COMB-FOUNDATION. 



So far as I have yet been among our beekeepers, I have found, 

 with few exceptions, almost a total absence of knowledge con- 

 cerning the full economic value of comb-foundation. Its use at 

 the present time is chiefly confined to providing '• guide-combs," 

 which consist of narrow strips fastened along the under-sides of the 

 top bars of the movable frames of the hive, to insure the bees 

 building their combs within the frames. The bees are thus left 

 free to construct nearly the whole of their combs, of whatever kind 

 they may choose, worker or drone, or, as is usual, some of both. 



The success of modern bee-culture hinges ajpost entirely in 

 the first place on securing complete control over the breeding, and 

 this can only be obtained by compelling the bees to build what- 

 ever kind of comb is desired. Under natural conditions, or when 

 in hives and allowed freedom to construct their combs, they 

 invariably build a goodly proportion of drone - comb, which is 

 subsequently utilised for breeding drones. This accounts for the 

 large number of drones to be seen in box hives, or where no 

 attempt has been made to control breeding. Drone.s, as most 

 people are aware, are non-producers — that is to say, they do not 

 gather honey, or even do any work in the hives. They are 

 physically incapable, but they consume a large quantity of food 

 gathered by the workers, and where many are present the yield 

 of honey from that hive, and consequently the profit, will be con- 

 siderably curtailed. The breeding of drones, therefore, when honev 

 is the chief object should be restricted as much as possible, and 

 this can only be accomplished successfully with a minimum of 

 trouble by making the fullest use of worker-comb foundation.* 



The difference between worker and drone comb is in the size 

 of the cells, the former measuring slightly over five to the inch, 

 and the latter a little over four. The proportions are shown it. 



* A sufficient number of drone-cells will always be built round the ends and 

 botloms of the sheets of foundtttiou. 



