Hi Jim and Everyone,

The 'mistake' that AI Root made would be a logic and very easy one to make
especially if the engraving technology of the day required a single cell
size.  When looking for a single size, I'll bet they selected comb from the
center of the broodnest. It would be small cell size there and the most
logical place to measure.

They built the mill to enhance comb building and probably found just what AI
did. That rather than be readily accepted and enhance comb building, it
retarded the process and was rejected after awhile.

That's the same experience small cell beekeepers repeat today. That's why so
many of the posts concerning small cell beekeeping deal with getting enough
acceptable comb drawn out. It is not easy or cheap.

AI and others probably suspected they made an error measuring the comb.
Going back to the hive, they wouldn't find much comb smaller than those
first measurements. But they would find lots of worker sized brood cells
that were larger. So they adjusted the cell size upward, although it was
still within the natural range for worker cell, and the bees readily
accepted it. Those that didn't move the cell size upward probably had lots
of unhappy customers who readily switched to AI's product:>)

It's interesting to note that the same error is made by both large and small
cell proponents. The large cell camp asks if small cell is so natural, why
is it so hard? That's a great question! The small cell camp can't adjust the
foundation size upward without loosing the positive results seen, so blame
the bees 'artificially enlarged' genetics. And much time and effort is spent
by the small cell camp trying to find the right bee and keep it 'pure'.

Yet, both camps are stuck on a single cell size and fail to see the
importance of the broodnest structure. Sticking to a single size has
negative consequences whether large or small sized foundations are used. It
just doesn't match what the bee do when left to themselves.

I think when we beekeepers get it right using the bees biology as a guide,
the bees will have all the advantages of both camps without the liabilities
of either. Maybe there will be lots of foundation mills donated to the bee
museums:>)

Regards
Dennis

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