BEE-KEEPER S MANUAL. 333 



breeding is greatly retarded by the malformation of 

 combs. 



The outer edges of the mouths of cells are strength- 

 ened and fortified by a border of wax, much thicker than 

 the sides, which prevents the entrance from being a 

 regular hexagon. This border seems to be of a diffe- 

 rent material from the substance that the cells are com- 

 posed of, and of the nature of a peculiar kind of varnish. 



The depth of ordinary worker-cells is seven-sixteenth, 

 and that of drone-cells, nine-sixteenths of an inch ; and 

 the depth of store-cells, from half an inch, up to three 

 inches. There are but two diameters for the cells of 

 the honey-bee, throughout the whole world ! One is 

 for brood-combs, and the other, for drone-combs; the 

 store-cells always being of the diameter of drone-cells. 

 This law is as immutable as the adamantine hills. Take 

 whatever countries you please, England, Russia, China, 

 Africa, Patagonia, Mexico, or the United States, and 

 not one iota difference can be found, if ten thousand 

 families were examined ! 



The cut on the next page represents a segment of 

 worker-comb, containing eggs and larvae; also a full- 

 sized queen-cell, and one but partly constructed. The 

 nature of queen-cells having been defined at page 28, it 

 will not be necessary here to say much in regard to 

 their construction. This cut gives a better idea of the 

 natural appearance of royal cells, as they actually appear, 

 than the previous illustration. 



The centre of the combs shows a row of cells, in 

 which the egg first appears ; then the larvae just bursting 



