and its Economic Management. 207 



than that fed to the queen. The removed combs were placed 

 behind the division board, and were emptied of their contents 

 by the bees, to be again used in filling fresh frames. 



Thus without extracting, the combs were taken, away 

 perfectly dry, with the exception of the three last built ; and 

 to make sure of wasting none of this remaining honey the 

 combs containing it were run down in a vessel with no added 

 water. The bees had access to both pollen and water while 

 building, and from 6 lbs. of honey fed .to them they gave 

 6i ozs. of clear wax, with a balance of 15 ozs. of honey left 

 over. "If I say an even pound left I shall be nearer the mark, 

 as the bees had the means of loading themselves much more 

 heavily than when the swarm was made, as they were then 

 forced to consume what they had before commencing to "build. 

 Five pounds therefore giving that quantity of wax, it would 

 be supposed that it takes I2|- lbs. of honey to give a pound. 

 But our experiment is not yet completed ; the bees had to live 

 •during the twenty days taken to carry it out. Being in a con- 

 fined area during autumn when the weather was far from being 

 as warm as could be desired, the expense of production would 

 be very much more than when new combs are built in the height 

 of the season. The bees did not get on so fast, especially as' 

 the best combs were removed in time to prevent the produc- 

 tion of brood, and towards the last the supply of honey became 

 very limited. 



To Get at the Cost of Living, 



after removing the last of the combs and balance 6f the honey, 

 the bees were given just i lb. of honey in a feeder arranged so 

 that they would not get it fast enough to go on building. 

 After the fourth day there were 5 ozs. left ; but here is a little 

 ■difficulty: they could not require 10 ozs. in that time, and on 

 lemoving the feeder with balance of honey, and giving four 

 empty combs they put about 2.ozs. into the cells. This would 

 stlU. leave 8 ozs. consumed, or 2 ozs. per day while in active 

 flight. Then for the twenty days we have 40 ozs. consumed 



