10 
Bulletin 54. 
4 
shows a difference in favor of the latter which is hardly noticeable 
in the photographic reproduction. On the other hand, the illustra¬ 
tions of sections of cell walls on this foundation shown at d, Plate 3, 
and at c and/, Plate 4, show plainly the abnormal thickness of the 
inner third or half of the cell walls as compared with the walls in 
natural comb shown in b , c, and e of Plate 3. In fact, a close in¬ 
spection will show that in many cases the walls of the comb cells 
seem not to be thinner than the walls in the cells of the foundation 
before the bees have touched them. In all cases, with this founda¬ 
tion, I have found the walls of the comb cells thicker than in 
natural worker comb. At i, Plate 5, is shown a portion of Figure 
d, Plate 3, somewhat magnified. Notice the thickness of the cell 
walls in their basal portion. 
The cell walls in Figure h and the upper half of i of Plate 2, 
and the upper third of g in Plate 3, were built on the foundation 
shown at/of Plate 2. The foundation, it will be seen, is almost 
without walls, yet the bases, at least, of the cell walls in the comb 
can be seen by the unaided eye to be sensibly thicker than in the 
natural comb samples. 
It seems, then, that keeping the wax out of the cell walls does 
not entirely remedy the tendency to build heavier bases to the cell 
walls when plenty of wax is at band. I do not have a test, how¬ 
ever, on strictly “no-wall” foundation, but cannot think the case 
would be different than in the use of this foundation with such 
slight walls. 
The medium brood and the very heavy foundations also gave 
cell walls decidedly thicker than those found in natural comb. 
Examples of cell walls on medium brood foundation are shown at d. 
of Plate 2, and at/of Plate 5. In the two first mentioned figures 
the walls are made thinner than in the long drawn cells of the last 
named example. All are heavier than in natural comb. 
At g of Plate 2 and b of Plate 4 are shown examples of comb 
on the very heavy foundation. In both cases the greater thickness 
of the walls is very plainly seen. In the first mentioned figure the 
heavy walls extend, plainly, the entire length of the cells. Compare 
with sections of natural comb cells in Plate 3. 
These studies indicate that it is a mistake to make very deep 
cells in artificial foundation, unless their walls can be brought down 
to the thinness of the naturally built cell walls—which is probably 
impossible—otherwise, the bees will leave them thicker than in the 
natural comb. The only cell walls that were brought, practically, 
to the thinness of the natural comb were those built on foundations 
with a light base and with little wax in the cell walls. The deep 
cells may be of advantage in other ways, but not in getting a light 
comb for section honey. 
