t62 tHE LORE OF THE HONEY-BEE 



tain experiments which were undertaken to decide 

 the amount of food assimilated during the produc- 

 tion of a given weight of wax. When the bees 

 had access only to honey, it was found that five or 

 six pounds were needed during the time that one 

 pound of wax was produced. But if the bees 

 were fed on a plain syrup of cane-sugar, more wax 

 was generated. The chemical composition of 

 fresh nectar is almost identical with that of sugar 

 from the sugar-cane, but mature honey contains 

 practically no cane-sugar at all. It is very doubt- 

 ful, therefore, if the economic bee would deplete 

 her hard-won stores of honey for a purpose that 

 could be better accomplished in another and 

 cheaper way. And it should also be borne in mind 

 that the natural time for comb-building coincides 

 with the season when nectar is in greatest plenty. 

 These sudden variations in temperature appear 

 to be brought about by a wholesale increase in 

 the rate of respiration among the bees ; and there 

 is nothing that excites the wonder of the student 

 of hive-life more than the breathing- apparatus of 

 the bee, as seen under the microscope. Practically 

 her whole physical system is directly supplied 

 with air, drawn in through her many spiracles. 

 As far as scientists have been able to determine, 

 there is not a fibre or nerve in her entire body that 

 is not reached by the minute ramifications of the air- 

 ducts, in direct communication with the great main 

 breathing-vessels in the bee's abdomen. Respira- 



