314 



Architecture of the Bee. — Dialogue. 



Vol. VI. 



Architecture of the Bee. 



If you have a certain space, as a room, to 

 fill up with closets or little cells, all of the 

 same size and shape, there are only three 

 figures which will answer, and enable you to 

 fill the room without losing any space be- 

 tween the cells; they must be either squares, 

 or figures of three equal sides, or figures of 

 six equal sides: with any other figures what- 

 ever, space would be lost between the cells. 

 This is evident upon considering the matter, 

 and it is proved by mathematical reasoning. 

 The six-sided figure is by far the most con- 

 venient of those three shapes, because its cor- 

 ners are flatter; and any round body placed 

 in it has, therefore, more space, less room 

 being lost in the corners: this figure, too, is 

 the strongest of the three; any pressure from 

 without or from within will hurt it least, as 

 it has something of the strength of the arch. 

 A round figure would be still stronger, but 

 then room would be lost between the circles, 

 whereas, with the six-sided figure nothing is 

 lost. Now, it is a most remarkable fact, that 

 bees build their cells exactly in this shape, 

 and thereby save both room and materials, 

 beyond what they could save if they built in 

 any other shape whatever! They build in 

 the very best possible shape for their purpose, 

 which is, to save all the room and all the wax 

 they can. 



So far as to the shape of the walls of each 

 cell ; but the roof and floor, or top and bottom, 

 are built upon equally true principles. It is 

 proved by mathematicians, that to give the 

 greatest strength and save the most room, the 

 roof and floor must be made of three square 

 planes meeting in a point ; and they have fur- 

 ther proved, by a demonstration belonging to 

 the highest parts of algebra, that there is one 

 particular angle or inclination of those planes 

 to each other where they meet, which makes 

 a greater saving of materials and of work 

 than any other inclination whatever could 

 possibly do. Now, the bees actually make 

 the tops and bottoms of their cells of three 

 planes meeting in a point; and the inclina- 

 tions or angles at which they meet are pre- 

 cisely those found out by the mathematician 

 to be the best possible for saving wax and 

 work.* Who would dream of the bee know- 

 ing the highest branch of the mathematics — 

 the fruit of Newton's most wonderful disco- 

 very ! — a result, too, of which he was him- 



* Kofiiiie, pupil of Bernonilli and Maclaurin, proved 

 by very refined iiivestigations, carried on with the aid 

 of the fliixional calculus, that the obtuse angle must be 

 lO'JO 28', and the acute 70° ;w, to save the most wax 

 and work possible. Maraldi found, by actual measure- 

 ment, that the angles are about 110° and 70O. These 

 angles never vary in any place; and it is scarcely less 

 singular, that the breadths of all bees' cells arc every- 

 where precisely the same, the drone or male cells being 

 5 IPths, and the worker or female cells 13-GOths of an 

 inch in breadth, and this in all countries and times. 



self ignorant, of one of his most celebrated 

 followers having found it out in a later agel 

 This little insect works with a truth and cor- 

 rectness which are perfect, and according to 

 principles at which man has arrived only after 

 ages of slow improvement in the most difficult 

 branch of the most difficult science. But to 

 the mighty and allwise Creator, who made 

 the insect and the philosopher, bestowing res- 

 son on the latter, and giving the former to 

 work without it — to Him all truths are known 

 to all eternity, with an intuition that mocks 

 even the conceptions of the sagest of human 

 kind. — Brougham. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Dialogue founded in Fact. 



D. Well, Mr. Cabinet, you seem to find it 

 easy to teach us how to increase the quantity 

 of our crops, but that is of little use. If you 

 could find us a market for what we have, you 

 would be doing something, I guess. 



C. Is it a market for your produce that you 

 want? 



D. It is, just that. I can grow much more 

 than I do, if I could dispose of it. 



C. Then I will procure you a ready mar- 

 ket for all you have, and without difficulty, 

 if the quality be good. 



D. The quality of my articles is as good as 

 my neighbours'. 



C. Then go into the market and offer your 

 corn, wheat, oats, potatoes, &c., 2 or 3 cents 

 per bushel below the regular price. 



D. I thank you! And what should I get 

 by that! 



C. A ready market — which you just now 

 said you wanted. 



D. Do you take me for a fool ? 



C. By no means; but it would appear that 

 it is not simply a market that you want, afler 

 all ; if it is, the reading of the Cabinet and 

 other works on agriculture, will teach yoa 

 the way to increase your crops, so that you 

 shall afford the sacrifice, and come off a gainer 

 by the transaction. 



The best merchant in the city used to say, 

 " I can always command a market, if in buy- 

 ing 1 consent to give a little more, and in 

 selling I am willing to accept a little less 

 than the market price. By these means I 

 am often enabled to turn my capital, while 

 others are waiting for a market; remember- 

 ing always, and never losing sight of the 

 axiom, it matters not what I give for an arti- 

 cle — the only question is, what can I sell it 

 for?'' Ed. 



The ancients were accustomed to prepare 

 their straw for feeding stock by keeping it 

 for a considerable time sprinkled with brine; 

 it was then dried, tied in bundles, and given 

 to oxen instead of hay. 



