156 Description of Comb. 
cells from 17 to 19 per square inch. The depth of the 
worker-cells is a little less than half an inch; the drone- 
cells are slightly extended so as to be a little more than 
half an inch deep. This depth, even of brood-cells, varies, 
so we cannot give exact figures. These cells are often 
drawn out so as to be an inch long, when used solely as honey 
receptacles. The number of cells in a pound of comb will 
vary much of course, as the thickness of the comb is not 
uniform. This number will vary from thirty to fifty 
thousand. In capping the honey the bees commence at the 
outside and finish at the center. The capping of the brood- 
cells is dark, porous, and convex, while that of the honey- 
cells is white and concave. This capping of honey-cells is 
made thicker by black bees than by the other races, and so 
their comb honey is more beautiful. Another reason for 
the white color comes from a small air chamber just 
beneath the capping. The inner surface of the capping is, 
therefore, usually freefrom honey. This chamber is usually 
a little larger in the honey-comb of black bees. The cap- 
pings are strengthened by tiny braces of wax, which, as 
we should expect, are most pronounced in drone-comb. 
The strength of comb is somewhat marvelous. I have 
known a frame of comb honey eleven inches square, to 
weigh eleven pounds, and yet to be unsupported at the 
bottom, and for not more than one-third of the distance 
from the top on the sides, and yet it held securely. The 
danger in cold weather, from breaking, is greater, as then 
the comb is very brittle. ; 
The character of the cells, as to size, that is, whether 
they are drone or worker, seems to be determined by the 
. relative abundance of bees and honey. If the bees are 
abundant and honey needed, or if there is no queen to lay 
eggs, drone-comb (Fig. 53, a) is invariably built, while if 
there are few bees, and of course little honey needed, then 
worker-comb (Fig. 53, c) is almost as invariably formed. 
It is also a curious fact that if the queen keeps along with 
the comb-builders in the brood chamber, then no drone- 
comb is built; but let her fail to keep cells occupied, and 
drone-comb is at once formed. It would seem that the 
workers reasoned thus: We are going to have comb for 
