January S2,18il. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
75 
growth, when they must have a light position on a bed of ashes or 
other moisture-holding material. 
Solanums .—If the berries are shrivelling place a few plants in 
gentle heat to make growths early, which, when large enough, should be 
taken off and rooted in brisk heat. If rooted together in sandy soil pot 
them singly directly they are rooted, and pinch to induce them to 
branch. Cut back plants that are not needed for yielding cuttings. 
If placed in a vinery they will soon start into growth, when their balls 
may be reduced and the plants potted in smaller pots in a compost 
of loam, sand, and one-seventh of manure. 
Bouvardias .—Plants that have rested for some time and have been 
infested with insects may be cut over, and all the old soil shaken from 
their roots. Take off a few of the strongest roots and cut them into 
short lengths and place them in small pots, two or three pieces into 
each. Just cover the roots with soil, and plunge the pots in a box and 
place them on the hot-water pipes in a vinery or other warm house. 
The old plants may be placed into smaller pots and started gently into 
growth. Keep other plants that have done flowering rather dry at 
their roots, but do not unduly force them to rest. 
Kalosantlies .—Plants in small pots that were cut back after flowering, 
and have broken freely into growth, may be placed into larger pots. 
Keep them cool and water them carefully. If the latter cannot be 
attended to potting had better be deferred another month. 
THE HISTORY OF COMB FOUNDATION. 
Although I have never said much upon this useful adjunct to 
the apiary, I think I am entitled to some attention as being the 
first in Great Britain or America to manufacture it, and not only 
the first, did so many years previous to most of the living bee¬ 
keepers. I have been prompted to take up this subject by the 
request of a prominent bee-keeper drawing my attention to the 
following, which appeared in the “ B. B. J.” for January 1st, 
1891. “At the German Department of the Exhibition of 1851 
Mr, Neighbour purchased the improved metal plates for making 
wax foundation, and it was with these that the foundation we 
used when we first commenced bee-keeping was made—a very 
different article to what is now used.” 
It will be observed that there is only one date given which is 
inaccurate. It was in 1862 that Mr. Alfred Neighbour purchased 
the plates, and not 1851, although prior to that date the plates 
were invented and sheets used in Germany. In the summer of 
1862 Mr. A. Neighbour sent me, among other things, some of the 
wax sheets, as they were then termed, asking my opinion on them, 
A short time after I received the sheets I slipped a piece horizon¬ 
tally beneath the combs of a hive at work, and almost immediately 
the bees drew out the cells vertically. This was sufficient proof 
that comb foundation was an acquisition, and I lost no time in 
making sheets and plates for my own use, the latter within a 
week, and the former the same night on which the sheets came. 
At that time, through the articles on bees and poultry in this 
Journal enthusiasm ran high, and were the means of many associa¬ 
tions being formed amongst both fanciers and bee-keepers, because 
often the two went together, if not that of horticulture as well. 
I made a visit shortly after that to Stewarton, and formed an 
acquaintance with all the bee-keepers of that place, taking with me 
a sample of wax sheet, but no one except Mr. A. Ferguson, a noted 
bee-keeper, could guess what it was, and he w^as anxious to learn 
more about it. On telling him I had made the piece he held in his 
hand, it being an easy matter to do so, an audience with me at 
my home was asked for and granted, so that he might learn the 
process. Previous to this all manipulations with wax were done 
in my heated workshop. The lesson was given in the kitchen ; the 
night being frosty soon hardened the sheets, and for the first time 
failed to impress them, which provoked a hearty laugh from 
pupil at the now crestfallen tutor, I soon learned the cause, and 
the second attempt was a success, being the best lesson I had on 
making comb foundation. 
For a time no other sheets were manufactured but by myself. 
Mr. Ferguson, being corresponding with Mr. Woodbury at that 
time, learned from him that he had attempted to make sheets by 
painting wax upon brown paper, then steeping the sheets in water, 
and peeling the paper from the wax while pulpy. On learning this I 
wrote to ask Mr. Neighbour if he knew better. His reply was that 
they had tried the making, but failed to produce a marketable 
sheet, on account of being unable to secure good wax, but would 
be obliged for further information. I sent him full instructions,, 
and in return was sent the original German plates, which Mr. 
Cowan says were “ the first sheets he used were made from.’'' 
Between 1862 and 1874 comb foundation and the plates for 
making it were in the hands of many Scotch bee-keepers, all of 
them indebted to me. But in England I am not aware of a single¬ 
bee-keeper, except Messrs. Neighbour, who made sheets, and I am 
inclined to think that firm preferred purchasing rather than 
making. 
At the first exhibition in the Crystal Palace, 1874, Messrs- 
Neighbour exhibited a pair of stereotyped plates, which were 
claimed by someone with the view of depriving Mr. Neighbour 
of the power of making sheets, and so monopolise the business,, 
but “ he did not reckon with his host.” Neighbour’s people had 
others; besides, the person found out to his cost that more than 
plates were awanting, so it proved a failure. Seeing the great 
advantage of comb foundation for the first time, Mr. Abbott was 
anxious to be in possession of the great invention, and after failing 
to get them or the information how to make sheets he appealed to 
me. I laid his case before Mr. Neighbour, and he at once supplied 
him with a pair of plates, and some of your readers know in what 
spirit the kindness was returned. But the plates without the 
knowledge of making sheets, &.c, were of no use. A second 
appeal was made to me, and I gave Mr. Abbott the wrinkle. But 
I never saw an English made sheet equal to Scotch made ones,, 
and at one of this subject was of general comment. While the 
Scotch sheets were perfect to a cell and hung straight in the 
frames, the English made were twisted and perforated throughout,, 
and this is where the great difference came in, and not as Mr. 
Cowan has it, because of any alteration or improvement over the- 
first method of producing. 
From the first I made sheets with the fuU impression of the 
cell, and before America made the improvement Mr. Ferguson and- 
myself had it in contemplation ; and while I admit that the side 
wall is a great improvement, it is in most cases nothing more than 
the impression of the base with by far too thick a midrib for use 
in the apiary. I send herewith two samples of comb foundation,. 
No. 1 my own make, the other procured from an advertiser. The 
side walls of No. 1 you will observe are high, with a thin midrib,, 
while the other has a very thick midrib with scarcely a side wall 
visible, is of inferior wax, and a much inferior foundation to that 
made from the original plates. I may as well mention that I do 
not sell foundation made from native wax, as I can if I cared get 
Ss. per pound for all my genuine wax, but I require it for my own 
use. Neither do I manufacture foreign wax, only in a few instances 
I make sheets for friends, so that the sending of the specimens is 
not as an advertisement, but to show bee-keepers what they should 
aim at, and what they can believe. I have never witnessed a sample 
of comb foundation with side walls so deep as the sample forwarded,, 
and of dll the times I ever competed only once lost the prize, but 
was not beaten. 
Bee-keepers should endeavour to make their own foundation- 
High side walls secure perfectly straight and symmetrical combs,, 
and a sure preventive of sagging or buckling, and dispenses 
entirely with wire, a clumsy and unnatural contrivance at the 
best. 
The same remarks apply to thin foundation as to thick sheets- 
With a high side wall and thin midrib beautiful, straight, and 
symmetrical combs are secured, and dispenses entirely with the 
even more unnatural and clumsy method of using separators,, 
which flat-bottomed sheets demand. The bees make an effort to 
