Foundation in Sections, 3 1 1 



stomachs of these idlers to appreciate the advantage of such 

 a course. Bees may occasionally tear down worker-cells, 

 and build drone-cells in their place; but such action, I 

 believe, is not sufficiently extensive to ever cause anxiety. 

 I am also certain that bees that have to secrete wax to form 

 comb do less gathering. Wax secretion seems voluntary, 

 and when rapid seems to require quiet and great consump- 

 tion of food. If we make two artificial colonies equally 

 strong, supply the one with combs, and withhold them 

 from the other, we will find that this last sends less bees to 

 the fields, while all the bees are more or less engaged in 

 wax secretion. Thus the other colony gains much more 

 rapidly in honey; first, because more bees are storing ; sec- 

 ond, because less food is consumed. This is undoubtedly 

 the reason why extracted honey can be secured in greater 

 abundance than can comb honey. 



It also pays remarkably well to use foundation in the 

 sections. If w^e use very thin foundation — eleven or twelve 

 feet to the pound — all talk about " the fish-bone " need not 

 frighten any one; Foundation for the sections should be 

 about twelve feet to the pound, while that for the brood 

 chamber is better at seven feet. The foundation may or 

 may not fill these sections. It is recommended by Dr. 

 Miller and our Canadian friends, to put two pieces of foun- 

 dation in each section — an inch strip from the bottom, 

 and a piece from the top to reach within one-eighth of an 

 inch of the lower strip. Of cpurse this- takes time and 

 care. When only one piece is used, I have had best suc- 

 cess leaving a one-eighth inch space on sides and bottom. 

 Many prefer to fasten to both top and bottom. Of coiu-se,, 

 foundation for the sections — in fact, all foundation — should: 

 only be made of nicest, cleanest wax. Only pure, clean ^ 

 unbleached ivax should be used in making foundation^ 

 We should be very careful not to put on the market any 

 comb honey where the foundation has not been properly 

 thinned by the bees. If we always use thin foundation 

 there will be no trouble. 



Foundation can be fastened into the sections by means of 

 melted wax. This method, however, is too slow; though 

 my friend R. L. Taylor has an ingenious arrangement 



