ADVANCED BEE CULTURE. 63 



Tlie Use aii<d Abmse ©f Comb 



latl©£io 



L^ pviHAT comb foundation has been a boon to bee-keepers, no one 

 doubts; that money expended in its purchase is often re- 

 turned many fold is equally true; but such is not always the 

 case. All through the working season wax is being secreted 

 to a greater or less extent. If not utilized it is lost. Of course, bees 

 that fill themselves full of honey and hang in clustering festoons 

 secrete wax to a fery much greater extent than those engaged in 

 bringing in honey. The bees of a swarm will nearly always, if not 

 always, be found with large wax scales in the wax pockets. Having 

 found that foundation is used at a profit in some places and at some 

 times, the bee-keeping world seems to have decided, with almost no 

 experiments, that bees ought never to be allowed to build comb 

 naturally. 



Years ago I practiced hiving swarms upon empty combs, upon 

 foundation, and upon empty frames — empty except starters of 

 foundation. The first swarm was hived upon comb, the second upon 

 foundation, and the third upon starters only. This order was con- 

 tinued, the first year it was tried, until fifteen swarms were hived, 

 when the use of empty combs was discontinued, as it was only too 

 evident that they were used at a loss. I have reference here to what 

 was used in the brood nest in hiving swarms when raising comb 

 honey. The difficulty with drawn combs is just this: Before the 

 queen will lay in old combs, the cells must be cleaned out and "var- 

 nished" or polished until they shine; and long ere this, especially if 

 there is a good flow of honey, they will be badly needed, and will 

 be used, for storage. In other words, combs are ready for honey 



