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93 
verted combs was carried up into the super. To explain 
this, the theory* was advanced that, as the cells have 
an inclination (G, Fig. 36, Vol. I.) upwards, they are 
unable to retain their honey, and the bees cannot 
possibly fill them when the comb is inverted ; and 
that, if all the cells are at the same time brought into 
this condition, the bees must, nolens volens, carrv 
the honey aloft into the super then presented to their 
attention. 
Mr. Heddon’st opinions, like my own, do not accord 
with this notion. His views may be thus summarised : 
Bees, especially Italians, in frames of the usual depth, 
persist in crowding the queen, by storing that honey 
that ought to go into the surplus department along 
the upper part of the brood comb, and further down 
in the corners (see Fig. 7). 
If a comb so filled be reversed, the honey is placed 
in an unusual position — that normally occupied with 
brood ; should this be done in the breeding season, 
or whenever the bees are intent upon increasing their 
numbers, the honey will be immediately removed to 
the surplus department, and soon the comb will be 
one solid sheet of developing bees — a glad sight to 
those whose experience has taught them the value 
of a compact brood-nest, free from honey. 
A question which may appear trivial to the un- 
observant, but which is, after all, of the deepest moment, 
here presents itself : Does the truth lie with Mr. 
Heddon, or with the theory of the British Bee Journal 
of 1876? To my mind, the latter clearly has nothing 
* See British Bee Journal, February, 1876, page 184. 
f “ Success in Bee Culture ” (page 86), by James Heddon. 
