WAX. 115 



O'i* :« POLLEN CONVERTED INTO WAxt , 



As for pollen being converted into wax or comb, a 

 simple question will show its fallacy. Do not the bees 

 belonging to a hive that, is full of combs, and no mote 

 wax for that purpose needed, bring home as much and 

 often more pollen than one half full ? Any person 

 who bas watched two such hives five minutes when 

 busily engaged at work, can answer. It is evident, 

 then, that pollen is for something else besides wax. 



HOW IS IT OBTAINED ? 



The inquiry is now made, " Where do they get it 

 from, if not from pollen?" I might with propriety 

 answer, they don't get it at all. "Stop, there, if you 

 please ; if you expect us to credit you, you must not 

 give us too much absurdity." Well, let me ask a 

 question. Do cattle wben grazing actually obtain 

 flesh, bone, &c., or only the materials from which these, 

 parts are secreted ? As to the production of wax, I 

 believe all close observers (that I have found) agree 

 that it is a secretion natural only to the bee. With 

 the ox, fruit, grain, or grass may be converted into 

 tallow ; with the bee, honey and syrup made of sugar 

 may be converted into wax. These are probably the 

 only two substances yet discovered from which they 

 extract it Some writers have pretended that pollen 

 is^ also used, but they have failed to prove that the 

 old bees consume it at any time ; which they must in 

 this case- if . it is converted into wax. From experi- 

 ments related by Huber, either of these substances, 

 mixed with a little water, is all sufficient for its pro- 



