i6o A Modern Bee-Farm 



feeder with balance of honey, and giving four empty combs they 

 put about 2 ozs. into the cells. This would still leave 8 ozs. con- 

 sumed, or 2 ozs. per day while in active flight. Then for the 

 twenty days we have 40 ozs. consumed to preserve life, which 

 deducted from the 5 lbs. leaves 2 lbs. 8 ozs. actually used in 

 producing the 6j ozs. of wax ; thus, to produce i lb. of wax 

 65 lbs. of honey would be consumed. 



When the cost of living was carried out the bees were 

 reduced about one-third, so that 2 ozs. per day should be within 

 the mark. In the height of the season with everything favourable 

 it is only reasonable to say that the cost of production is really 

 much less, and probably not more than 5 lbs. of honey are con- 

 sumed in actually producing one pound of wax. 



Comparative Cost. 



In the course of the experiment I found that about eight 

 standard frames (14 inches by 8^ inches) of new comb will give 

 one pound of refined wax. It is surprising what a large amount 

 of refuse is found after melting the most beautifully white combs, 

 so that the actual weight of wax obtained is much less than that of 

 the original combs. Observe this : one pound of wax, costing the 

 producer less than is. 6d., fills eight frames. To do this with 

 foundation i^ lb. of that article is required, costing in hard cash 

 at the least 2s. 6d. for the base only ; to this the bees add con- 

 siderable of their own production before the combs can be com- 

 pleted ; making the total cost much over 3s. Facts are stubborn 

 things, and cannot be ignored. 



