210 
BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 
having set, invert the whole, so that the foundation 
is uppermost. Now repeat the process ; break off 
the two wooden frames used, open your mould, and 
remove the foundation, and you have the form B. 
Dress the edges as may be necessary, and the 
apparatus is complete. Sponge the faces of the 
mould before using. If you desire wired foundation 
a la Given, wire the frame, and place it as in C. 
Soften your sheets in hot water as much as possible 
without endangering them ; place one on and 
close the mould instantly. Although the impression 
will be much inferior in sharpness to the original, 
it will be worked out by the bees into comb not to 
be excelled. 
Our outline of plans would be incomplete were we 
to omit that foundation has been made by casting, 
using an apparatus much like that of Fig. 6i, but (it 
is only fair to myself to add) of considerably later 
date. The mould is partly opened, is submerged 2in. 
or 3in. in liquid wax, hinged side down. By a sharp 
movement the two faces are brought together, and 
the wax thrown up between them. Surprisingly 
perfect sheets are in this way produced. 
We now leave the mechanics of the question for 
a few considerations, which have too often remained 
unnoticed ; and first in order, the one touching size 
of cell claims our attention. Very careful measure- 
ments of some hundreds of combs, built by numerous 
colonies of black bees, showed only inconsiderable 
variations and an average of 144 cells, measured 
across their parallel sides, to each 3in. Yet these 
bees experienced difficulty, as already stated, in build- 
