DEFECTIVE COMBS. 
53 
REMOVING DEFECTIVE COMBS. 
Certain persons would have us deprive our bees of their combs 
every two or three years, and compel them to build anew. This 
we consider a useless waste of the time and material of the bees, 
for although every litter of brood leaves a cocoon or thin lining 
in each cell, the cells were large at first, and the cocoons are so 
thin that after the lapse of ten years no perceptible difference 
can be seen in the size of the bees, the combs meanwhile be- 
coming warmer and safer for the swarm in winter. The above 
practice is universally condemned by our best practical apiarians. 
One of them, while advocating the removal of worthless or de- 
fective combs, says : 
“ What old bee-keeper has not had abundant proof that stocks 
eight or ten years old, or even older, are often among the very 
best in his whole apiary.” Stocke says he saw a colony which 
he was assured had “swarmed annually for forty-six years.” 
The common practice of some bee-keepers, of breaking out the 
lower combs from common hives, if the combs happen to be 
(lark colored, is to be discouraged, for when done in early spring 
the stock that year will often fail to be productive either of 
swarms or surplus honey. Yet when movable frames are 
used, if healthy stocks and early and vigorous swarms are de- 
sired, we should make a general examination as soon as spring 
has fairly opened, and place every stock upon a fair footing for 
the work of the season. Portions of the comb are liable to be- 
come useless from various causes. If the hive was not properly 
ventilated, the lower edges of combs may be mouldy. The 
