134 PRODUCTS OF BEES 



In the manufacture of comb proper, and of the 

 cappings with which honey-cells are sealed, bees 

 use wax which is almost pure, but the cappings 

 placed over brood cells and also the walls of queen 

 cells are mixed with a large amount of pollen, so 

 as to make them porous. 



Nor is the use of wax confined to the construc- 

 tion of comb. It is frequently used in conjunction 

 with propolis to seal up crevices or cover up 

 objectionable objects which are too heavy for 

 removal. 



I have mentioned propolis, which is a resinous 

 substance collected from the buds of trees. 

 I would lay stress on the word " resinous," 

 because most writers speak of it as " gum." 

 Gum and resin are two different things, although 

 somewhat analogous as to origin and purpose. 

 They differ in the important fact that while gums 

 are soluble in water, resin is not. I have tried 

 a good many samples of propolis from different 

 hives, but I have never found any soluble in water, 

 hence it seems clear that bees have an instinct for 

 collecting resin only. Clearly this is the only form 

 which would be of use to keep out water for any 

 length of time, and that it does so may be well 

 illustrated by taking one of the old-fashioned 

 straw hives which has been in use for bees for a few 

 years. It will be found that this receptacle can 

 be filled with water, a feat that would be im- 

 possible with a new one. 



