204 THE LORE OF THE HONEY-BEE 
quantities of hard-won stores in the manufacture of 
their own material. But it seems there is nothing 
in nature possessing the needful properties. Bees 
collect a resinous substance, notably from the buds 
of the poplar, which they use for stopping up 
crevices. They dilute this also into a varnish, 
with which they paint the finished combs, and 
sometimes even combine it with wax to form a 
rough filling ; but it appears to be useless in cell- 
construction. The whole city must needs be made 
of wax, and wax alone; and the bees are as careful 
of this precious substance as a miser of his gold. 
Starting with these conditions—efficient house- 
accommodation for the colony secured at the least 
cost in time, labour, and material—the bee tackles 
the problem before her with an ingenuity that is 
little short of astounding. She appears to begin 
with the central dominant unit of the difficulty, 
and to work outward, vanquishing subsidiary 
problems as she goes. Her line of reasoning 
seems to run somewhat in this way. To raise the 
young, and store the honey, there is needed some 
kind of cell or receptacle. The young larve 
being cylindrical in form, a cylindrical cell is indi- 
cated; and this shape will serve also for the 
honey-barrels. Not a few, however, but many 
thousands of these vessels will be required: they 
must therefore be placed close together, as well 
for economy of space as for natural warmth. The 
cells could be grouped together mouth upwards in 
