and its Economic Management, 159 



given frames, with a line of Wax as a starter to each. I determined 

 to avoid the complication that would arise if brood were produced, 

 but at the same time it was necessary to have a fertile queen pre- 

 siding, or the bees would not work to the best advantage. The 

 new combs were therefore removed every three days, and though 

 occasionally eggs were to be seen, no food was consumed in their 

 production other 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 ; 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 6J 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 12I 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 confined 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 production 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 of 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 6 ozs. left ; but here is a little difficulty : 

 they could not require 1.0 ozs. in that time, and on removing the 



