first pollen. Today gave a good nucleus an empty frame between their brood
with three of my wax plate foundations � fed them - In a few hours found the
center one - the largest - well advanced - Thus [diagram] the upper section with no
cells stretched in it - the lower part with cells well advanced! The
other guides just starting - This mode of securing straight combs more
promising than any other yet devised - and if they can be made say two
or three inches long and one deep - or longer and deeper we should not
only have the trouble of the bees leaving the hive triangular edge avoided
but we could utilize wax most admirably - However broad and deep
 (within limits) they can be firmly attached
[diagram]
Care must be taken not to make them so that the
bees will build the combs [illegible] A few experiments in large stocks will
develop the proper limits as to size, etc. March 19th. The bees have stretched out
cells in the smooth part - To get thin plates of wax warm up the wax in hot water
roll it out - If small crescent - shapad plates are found best (the bees
perhaps spending more time in working out the larger ones than is gained by size)
might they not be punched out with a punch which would punch half a dozen at
one blow? Thermometer 60 degrees 66 degrees Heavy rain last night - Wonderful growth of wheat and
grass the last ten days. 18th 35 degrees 50 degrees Splendid day - Bees in A. M. very greedy for
flour - In P. M. - brought in much pollen - honey or sugar tree sap - As soon as comb
building begins quite freely - ought to remove poor combs into supers and encourage it
below - By incessant queen raising for sale and few new colonies my combs have many
of them become very poor - such combs much more liable to hide attachments by bees
 (19th) 50 degrees Rain in A. M. - Am giving all the colonies some sweetened water or
very thin honey water as a stimulus - they expect it - Too cool for bees to get pollen
take the flour greedily - 20th 36 degrees 42 degrees - Windy - very raw - a decided cold clear
up - in intervals of sunshine a few bees in flour boxes - 21st - 25 degrees 34 degrees - Freeze
very cold in A. M. - P. M. sun came out - and bees active in the flour boxes. 
Queens do not yet lay in drone combs - cannot anticipate the season - 22nd - 25 degrees 50 degrees
Bees get no pollen - greedy for flour - 23rd - 36 degrees 69 degrees - Bees getting pollen very largely � some
thin honey - saw queen just laying on drone comb! Gave my wax guides to a nucleus
and a full stock - in two hours cells stretched - 24th - 57 degrees 80 degrees - Thunder and heavy
shower last night - Grass looking very well - Full stock has started combs on two
or three places besides the three wax foundations. Make them small - and more of them!
 (25th) 50 degrees 42 degrees - N. E. - heavy rain during the day - thunder - not a bee out - Try corncobs nailed
for an apron or alighting board - (26th) 33 degrees 38 degrees Strong N. E. wind - rain - very sour day