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served and given to the bees. When nev\r, it may be easily 

 attached to the frames, or the honey-receptacles, by dipping 

 the edge into melted wax, and pressing it gently until it 

 stiffens : if old or the pieces large and full of bee-bread, it 

 will be best to dip them into a mixture of melted vrax and 

 rosin, which will secure a firmer adhesion. When comb is 

 put into tumblers or other small vessels, the bees will begin 

 to work upon it sooner, if it is simply crowded in, so as to 

 be held in place by being supported against the sides. It 

 would seem as though, disgusted wiih such unworkmanlike 

 proceedings, they could not rest until they have endeavored 

 to " make a good job of it." 



Bees seem to fancy " a good start in life," about as well 

 as their more intelligent owners, and are greatly encouraged 

 in filling all receptacles in which a portion of empty comb 

 is placed. To this use all suitable drone comb should be put, 

 as soon as removed from the main hive. 



Artificial honey combs, made of porcelain, have recently 

 been used for feeding bees. No one, to my knowledge, has 

 ever attempted to imitate the delicate mechanism of the bee 

 so closely, as to construct artificial combs for the ordinary 

 uses of the hive ; although for a long time I have entertained 

 the idea as very desirable, and yet as barely possible. If 

 store combs could be made of gutta percha, when emptied 

 of their contents they might be returned to the hive, again to 

 be filled by the bees. 



While writing this treatise, it has occurred to me that 

 bees might be induced to use old wax for the construction of 

 their combs. If very fine parings are given to them, it seems 

 to me very probable that they would use them, just as they 

 do the scales which are formed in their wax pouches. Let 

 strong colonies be deprived of some of their combs, after 

 the honey harvest is over, and supplied abundantly with 



