and its Economic Management. 201 



CHAPTER XXI. 



THE PRODUCTION OF WAX; 

 AND NON-USE OF FOUNDATION. 



THE more one studies the matter the more is he convinced 

 that wax should be a profitable product of the apiary. 

 We have been told over and over again that the bees consume 

 20 lbs. of honey while producing i lb. of wax therefrom. 

 Upon the face of it the idea is merely theoretical, as in the 

 first place it is ridiculous to presume that an article costing, if 

 we say only 5s. (20 lbs. of honey at 3d.) could be sold for is. 6d. 

 Supply and demand regulate prices, and, as a matter of fact) 

 wax is comparatively scarce ; therefore it is time the question 

 ■of cost is set at rest once and for all. In making 



A Test by Experiment, 



there were several important factors to be considered ; the 

 ■'bees experimented with had access to both water and pollen, 

 but no brood was allowed at the time. The experiment was 

 carried out where the bees were not confined to the hive, and 

 they gathered no other food than that supplied to them for the 

 purpose. A test of this kind should be carried out under a 

 high temperature, and a fair swarm used for the occasion, but 

 in my own case I had to be content with rather a low tem- 

 perature . but the result was very satisfactory, and I found 

 that 6^ lbs. of honey gave a pound of wax. 



