10 Bulletin 54. 



shows a difference in favor of the latter which is hardly noticeable 

 in the photographic reproduction. On the other hand, the illustra- 

 tions of sections of cell walls on this foundation shown at d, Plate 3, 

 and at c and/, Plate 4, show plainly the abnormal thickness of the 

 inner third or half of the cell walls as compared with the walls in 

 natural comb shown in b, c, and e of Plate 3. In fact, a close .in- 

 spection will show that in many cases the walls of the comb cells 

 seem not to be thinner than the walls in the cells of the foundation 

 before the bees have touched them. In all cases, with this founda- 

 tion, I have found the walls of the comb cells thicker than in 

 natural worker comb. At i, Plate 5, is shown a portion of Figure 

 d, Plate 3, somewhat magnified. Notice the thickness of the cell 

 walls in their basal portion. 



The cell walls in Figure h and the upper half of i of Plate 2, 

 and the upper third of g in Plate 3, were built on the foundation 

 shown at/ of Plate 2. The foundation, it will be seen, is almost 

 without walls, yet the bases, at least, of the cell walls in the comb 

 can be seen by the unaided eye to be sensibly thicker than in the 

 natural comb samples. 



It seems, then, that, keeping the wax out of the cell walls does 

 not entirely remedy the tendency to build heavier bases to the cell 

 walls when plenty of wax is at hand. I do not have a test, how- 

 ever, on strictly "no-wall" foundation, but cannot think the case 

 would be different than in the use of this foundation with such 

 slight walls. 



The medium brood and the very heavy foundations also gave 

 cell walls decidedly thicker than those found in natural comb. 

 Examples of cell walls on medium brood foundation are shown at d 

 of Plate 2, and at /of Plate 5. In the two first mentioned figures 

 the walls are made thinner than in the long drawn cells of the last 

 named example. All are heavier than in natural comb. 



At g of Plate 2 and b of Plate 4 are shown examples of comb 

 on the very heavy foundation. In both cases the greater thickness 

 of the walls is very plainly seen. In the first mentioned figure the 

 heavy walls extend, plainly, the entire length of the cells. Compare 

 with sections of natural comb cells in Plate 3. 



These studies indicate that it is a mistake to make very deep 

 cells in artificial foundation, unless their walls can be brought down 

 to the thinness of the naturally built cell walls — which is probably 

 impossible — otherwise, the bees will leave them thicker than in the 

 natural comb. The only cell walls that were brought, practically, 

 to the thinness of the natural comb were those built on foundations 

 with a light base and with little wax in the cell walls. The deep 

 cells may be of advantage in other ways, but not in getting a light 

 comb for section honey. 



