76 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



and again, with about the same results. These two 

 combs would make about 360 square inches. Mr. 

 Quinby estimates fifty cells to the square inch, inclu- 

 ding both sides of the comb ; this would give about 

 18,000 cells in all ; deduct one-third for honey, pol- 

 len and a few cells unoccupied with brood, and we 

 still have 12,000 cells to be filled. A few of these 

 around the edges would perhaps remain empty, but 

 at least 10,000 eggs were laid during the four or five 

 days, or about 2,000 per day. This, I find, is but 

 little higher than Mr. Quinby's estimate, but not 

 greater than they can fully attain to, under favorable 

 circumstances, marvelous as it may seem. 



CHAPTER III. 



WAX. 



It is generally supposed that bees gather the wax 

 from the flowers which they visit daily in the fields ; 

 in fact, before Ruber's time, it was believed that wax 

 was made from bee-bread, either as it was gathered 

 from the flowers in a crude state, or in a prepared 

 form, after going through a digesting process in the 

 stomach of the bee. Huber demonstrated by experi- 

 ment, that the wax, of which all comb is built, is a 

 secretion of the bee, a substance which a wise Creator 

 has provided them with for the purpose of construct- 

 ing proper receptacles to contain their stores of pro- 

 visions, and suitable cradles for rearing their young 

 in. Bonner says: "I believe the wax to be an 



