IMPRESSED WAX SHEETS. 151 



The bars of a hive prepared with these markings in 

 -wax afford ready-made foundations for regular combs, 

 which very much facilitate the operations of the bees. 



IMPRESSED WAX SHEETS FOR ARTIFICIAL 

 COMBS. 



These artificial partition walls for combs are sheets 

 of genuine wax, about the substance of thin cardboard. 

 They receive rhomboidal impressions by being pressed 

 between two metal plates, carefully and mathematically 

 prepared and cast so that the impressions are exactly 

 the same size as the base of the cells of a honey-comb. 

 An inspection -of a piece of comb will show that the 

 division of the opposite cells is made by a thin partition 

 wall, common to both. Now the substance of this is said 

 to be only the one hundred and eightieth part of an inch, 

 whilst the artificial ones we are recommending are 

 between the thirtieth and fortieth part of an inch, more 

 than four times the thickness of the handiwork of the 

 bees themselves. It would, indeed, be vain to attempt 

 to furnish sheets of wax at all approaching their own 

 delicate fabric ; the impressed sheets are quite as thin 

 as they can be to bear the handling which is requisite 

 for fixing them in the hives. We find, however, that 

 the thickness is no disadvantage ; the bees speedily ex- 

 cavate and pare the artificial sheet so as to suit their own 

 notions of the substance required ; then, with admirable 



