34 PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING 
quality. Théy, were crooked, and generally con- 
tained a large percentage of drone comb, which 
made them practically useless as a means of honey 
production. With the use of these wax sheets the 
bees find half of their work already done for them : 
the septum or mid-rib of their cells is in position, 
and all that remains to be done is to draw out the 
walls. Needless to say, comb building progresses 
at a rapid rate. 
Comb foundation should bé used with the 
greatest liberality, as liberality—not extravagance 
—in this direction is most profitable. The more 
work the bees can be saved in comb building 
the greater the gain, for note that bees con- 
sume from thirteen to twenty pounds of honey. in 
secreting the wax for one pound of comb. Many, 
bee-keepers who are supposed to know their trade 
even now make a regular practice of placing 
starters in all their frames and sections. Starters 
are narrow strips of wax, about half-inch deep, 
placed along the top-bars, and their use, as their 
name indicates, is to give the bees a start. It 
does that and nothing: more, and the resulting 
combs in the majority of cases give strict indica- 
tions as to their origin. Full sheets of founda~ 
tion should always be used, and not starters, or 
even half sheets. The sheets are made in several 
thicknesses for different purposes. There is 
medium and thick brood foundation for the brood 
or standard frames, medium and thin brood for the 
shallow or surplus frames, and thin super for 
