POLLEN, OR BEE-BREAD. 95 



ness of the pollen dust ; at first we thought it must 

 be because of moisture, as it will be observed that large 

 quantities of the powder are thus carried early in the 

 morning succeeding a rainy day ; but I have since disco- 

 vered that many plants produce pollen which is not adhe- 

 sive under any circumstances ; such pollen, when ex- 

 amined with high power under the microscope, is found 

 to be spherical (like an orange). Other grains, such as 

 the crocus, snowdrop, &c., which are oblong in shape are 

 very adhesive, but that from the dandelion and many 

 composite flowers is non-adhesive. The pollen from the 

 mallow, the cheese-cakes of children, is very beautiful 

 when magnified ; studded over with a multitude of sharp 

 points, resembling thorns, thus making it very adhesive. 



When more bee-bread is collected than is suiEcient for 

 the immediate use of the brood, it is stored away in 

 worker cells j first it is tightly pressed down in the cell by 

 the head of the bee, until the cell is rather more than 

 two-thirds full. Over the bee-bread a little honey is 

 placed, afterwards the cell is sealed up with wax, to await 

 a rainy day, or a time when the pollen is scarce. An im- 

 mense number of the cells are found in old hives in 

 winter, when the whole colony is resting from their 

 labours, partly filled with bee-bread. These are unsealed, 

 and the cells are never sealed or covered over with wax 

 unless filled either with young brood, honey, or bee- 

 bread. 



If something could be discovered that would supply the 

 place of the bee-bread in early spring, so as to induce the 

 queen to deposit her eggs shortly after Christmas or at the 

 beginning of the new year, it would be hailed with delight 

 by every intelligent bee-keeper. It is true the German 

 apiarians supply their stocks in February with finely-ground 

 rye-flour, and it is said the bees carry it into their hives with 

 evident pleasure. Dzierzon first made the discovery by 



