398 A Modern Bee-Farm 
contents by the bees, to be again used in building new 
combs. 
Thus, without extracting, the combs were taken away 
perfectly dry, with the exception of the three last built, 
and to make sure of wasting none of this remaining honey 
the combs containing it were run down in a vessel with no 
added water. The bees had access to both pollen and 
water while building, and from 6 lbs. of honey fed to them 
they gave 61 ozs. of clear wax, with a balance of 15 ozs. of 
honey left over. If I say an even pound left [ shall be 
nearer the mark, as the bees had the means of loading 
themselves much more heavily than when the swarm was 
made, as they were then forced to consume what they had 
before commencing to build. Five pounds, therefore, giving 
that quantity of wax, it would be supposed that it takes 
124 lbs. of honey to yield a pound. But our experiment is 
not yet completed ; the bees had to live during the 20 days 
taken to carry it out. Being in a confined area during 
Autumn when the weather was far from being as warm as 
could be desired, the expense of production would be very 
much more than when new combs are built in the height 
of the season: The bees did not get on so fast, especially 
as the best combs were removed in time to prevent the 
production of brood, and towards the last the supply of 
honey became very limited. ( 
To get at the Cost of Living, 
after removing the last of the combs and balance of the 
honey, the bees were given just 1 lb. of honey in a feeder 
arranged so that they would not get it fast enough to go 
on building. After the fourth day there were 6 ozs. left ; 
but here is a little difficulty ; they could not require 10 ozs. 
in that time, and on removing the feeder with balance 
of honey, and giving four empty combs they put about 
