MillerThousand AnswersBeekeepingQuestions.pdf - BioBees

THOUSAND ANSWERS 53honey is coming in, it may become so bad that bees will not touchit next year.Q. Please state the advantage in using the reinforced combfoundation. Some claim it takes less than other comb foundation,being thick on top and thin on bottom. If there is any comb foundation_that is better please let me know, and if it is a fake, thenalso give the facts.A. I did not know that it had ever been claimed that lessfoundation was needed if reinforced. Likely what you mean isthat a less- weight of wax might be used in filling a hive withfoundation. I do not see why that may not be true. Foundationfor brood-combs must be of a certain weight to prevent sagging.Rut the sagging is chiefly at the top. Now, if we use lighterfoundation and reinforce the top part, there is a saving of wax.It is claimed, also, that bees begin work more promptly on thewax that is painted on. I have never used it enough to speakwith authority, but I do not believe there is any fake about it,and I do not remember having seen a report from anyone whocondemns it after having tried it.Q. Is it not a fact that many combs affected with foulbroodand other diseases are rendered into wax, and that the foundationon sale by all dealers is contaminated more or less with thissame wax?A. Undoubtedly much wax is made from foulbrood combs,and just as undoubtedly much of it must fall into the hands ofthe manufacturers of comb foundation. But it does not followthat the foundation is contaminated so as to make it in the leastdangerous. The continued high temperature to which the wax issubjected, when being made into foundation, destroys thespores.I think that some hold, too, that even if a spore were not destroyedby the heat, it would not germinate after receiving animpervious coating of hot wax.Comb Foundation Fastening.—Q. Can full sheets of foundationbe used for brood-frames without using either wire or woodsplints?Would it sag so as to spoil the cells for brood-rearing?A. Unless the foundation be extra heavy it may sag enoughto stretch a good many of the cells in the upper part.Q. Please give me the method of fixing foundation (fullsheets) in frames with wires; also starters, say S or 6 inches deep.A. I may say briefly that if you have top-bars with kerf andwedge, it will be easy to insert the upper edge of the sheet in the