COSIB. 101 



222. Honey and sugar contain by weight about eight 

 pounds of oxygen to one of carbon and hydrogen. When 

 converted into wax, these proportions are remarlsably 

 changed, the wax containing only one pound of oxygen to 

 more than sixteen of hydrogen and carbon. Now as oxy- 

 gen is the grand supporter of animal heat, the large quan- 

 tity consumed in secreting wax aids in generating that 

 extraordinary heat which always accompanies comb-build- 

 ing, and which enables the bees to mould the softened wax 

 into such exquisitely delicate and beautiful forms. This 

 interesting instance of adaptation, so clearly pointing to 

 the Divine Wisdom, seems to have escaped the notice of 

 previous writers. 



323. Careful experiments prove that from ten to sixteen 

 pounds of honey are usually required to make a single 

 pound of wax. As wax is an animal oil, secreted chiefly 

 from honey, this fact will not appear incredible to those 

 who are aware how many pounds of corn or hay must be fed 

 to cattle to have them gain a single pound of fat. From 

 experiments made by Mr. P. Viallon here, and by Mr. De 

 Layens in France, it seems that in good circumstances 

 bees use only about seven pounds of honey to produce a 

 pound of wax. 



Many bee-keepers are unaware of the value of empty 

 comb. Suppose honey to be worth only ten cents per pound, 

 and comb, when rendered into wax, to be worth thirty 

 cents, the Apiarist who melts a pound of comb loses largely 

 by the operation, even without estimating the time his bees 

 have consumed in building it. It is, therefore, considered 

 a first principle in bee-culture never to melt good worker- 

 combs. A strong colony of bees, in the height of the honey- 

 harvest, will fill them with very great rapidity. 



With the box hives (274), but little use can be made 

 of empty comb, unless it is new and can be put into the 

 surplus honey-boxes (728), but by the use of movable 



