WAX. 127 



be their wants, implanted in the censorium of the first 

 bee, all things pertaining io their welfare ; the impress 

 then given, is yet retained unimpaired ! They need 

 no lectures on domestic economy to tell them, by using 

 the base of one set of cells on one side of their combs, 

 for the base of those on the opposite, will save both 

 labor and wax ; no mathematician that a pyramidal 

 base, just three angles, with just such an inclination, ■ 

 will be the exact shape needed, and consume much 

 less wax than round or square — that the base of one 

 cell of three angles, would form a part of the base of 

 three other cells on the opposite side of the comb — 

 that each of the six sid«s of one cell forms one side of 

 six others around it — that these angles and these only 

 would answer their ends. 



" The bees appear," says Eeaumer, " to have a 

 problem to solve, which would puzzle many a mathe- 

 matician. A quantity of matter being given, it is re- 

 quired to form out of it cells, which shall be equal, 

 and similar, and of a determinate size, but the. largest 

 possible with relation to the quantity of matter em- 

 ployed, while they shall occupy the least possible 

 space !" 



How little does the epicure heed, when feasting on 

 the fruits of their industry, that each morsel tasted 

 must destroy the most perfect specimens of workman- 

 ship I that in a moment he can denlolish what it has 

 taken hours, yes days, perhaps weeks, of assiduous toil 

 and labor, for the bees to accomplish 1 



