18 Bulletin 54. 



than the former. This would indicate that 90 per cent, of the foun- 

 dation was utihzed by the bees in making a comb but slightly heavier 

 than the natural. We also find that the bees actually added less 

 to this foundation in order to draw it out to 1.25 inches in thickness 

 than in cases where they built comb to a thickness of an inch on 

 the heavy and medium brood foundations. Further experiments 

 are needed bearing upon this point. 



If we compare the comb built on the "1899" deep-cell founda- 

 tion and the extra thin super foundation with the natural comb, we 

 find results nearly, or quite as good as the preceding. For exam- 

 ples, the comb 1.31 inches thick on the deep-cell foundation was but 

 1.13 grains heavier than the natural sample 1.33 inches thick, and 

 the sample on this foundation that was 1.50 thick exceeded tlie 

 weight of natural comb 1.37 inches thick by only 1.50 grains. 



In case of the comb on extra thin foundation, the sample that 

 was 1.22 inches thick weighed but 1.11 grains to the square inch 

 more than the natural sample that measured 1.20 inches thick ; and 

 the sample on this foundation 1.25 inches thick is almost exactly 

 an average of the two pieces of natural comb of the same thickness. 



It seems, then, from all the evidence furnished by the forty- 

 nine samples of comb listed in the preceding table, that we do not 

 lessen the wax secretion of the bees much, if any, more when we 

 furnish them a heavy foundation than when we furnish them a 

 very light foundation. 



These diflferences between the heavy and light foundations for 

 comb building seem quite remarkable, and in a large series of 

 samples might not result so much in favor of the light foundations ; 

 but the samples recorded in the table were taken without any at- 

 tempt or thought of favoring one form or weight over another. 



The writer believes it is a matter of much importance to bee- 

 keepers to produce comb honey with as small an amount of wax as 

 possible. They will, in this way, increase the consumption of their 

 product, as many people object to comb honey because of the large 

 amount of wax they often find in it. 



METHODS OF USING FOUNDATION IN SECTIONS. 



It is necessary to use some foundation in sections for comb 

 honey. The best size and form of the piece of foundation to be 

 used as a "starter" is not universally agreed upon, some preferring 

 one form and some another. 



The different methods of applying these starters, shown in 

 Figures a to ^r of Plate VI., have been tested in the College Apiary 

 for the past three years. 



There was no appreciable difierence in the comb produced by 

 using starters in the manners shown by Figures a, c and d. The 

 only advantage in the long, narrow piece, shown at e, was that it had 



