120 FOOD OF BEES. 



evident that, without honej-, it could not support the mature 

 bees ; and this led former observers to conclude that it 

 served for the building of comb. Huber, after demonstrat- 

 ing that wax can be secreted from an entirely different sub- 

 stance, soon ascertained that pollen was used for the 

 nourishment of the embrj-o bees. Confining some bees to 

 their hive without any pollen, he supplied them with honey, 

 eggs, and larvae. In a short time, the young all perished. 

 A fresh supply of brood being given to them, with an ample 

 allowance of pollen, the development of the larvae pro- 

 ceeded in the natural way. 



264. We had an excellent opportunity of testing the 

 value of this substance, in the backward Spring of 1852. On 

 the oth of February, we opened a hive containing an artifi- 

 cial swarm of the previous year, and found many of the cells 

 filled with brood. The combs being examined on the 23d, 

 contained neither eggs, brood nor bee-bread ; and the col- 

 ony was supplied with pollen from another hive ; the next 

 day, a large number of eggs were found in the cells. When 

 this supply was exhausted, lading again ceased, and was 

 only resumed when more was furnished. During the time 

 of these experiments, the weather was so unpromising, that 

 the bees were unable to leave the hive. 



Dzierzon is of opinion that bees can furnish food for their 

 young, without pollen ; although he admits that they can do 

 it only for a short time, and at a great expense of vital en- 

 ergy ; just as the strength of an animal nursing its young is 

 rapidly reduced, if, for want of proper food, the very sub- 

 stance of the mother's body must be converted into milk. 

 The experiment just described does not corroborate this 

 theory, but confirms Ruber's view, that pollen is indispen- 

 sable to the development of brood. 



Gundelach, an able German Apiarist, says that if a col- 

 ony with a fertile queen be confined to an empty hive, and 

 supplied with honey, comb will be rapidly built, and the 



