WAX. 81 



to permit them to enter the cells readily ; openings 

 are generally left through different parts of the combs 

 to connect these spaces, forming cross roads, or near 

 cuts, from one comb to another, whereby much val- 

 uable time is saved to the bees in passing from one 

 side of the hive to the other. The cells, as I have 

 already observed, are six-sided, forming a hexagon, 

 the very best shape that could be adopted by which 

 all the space can be occupied and no interstices left; 

 it is doubtless the only shape, except round, that 

 would suit to rear young bees in, as either square or 

 triangular would be entirely unsuited for that pur- 

 pose. These three, the hexagon, the triangle and 

 the square, are the only possible shapes that would 

 occupy all the given space. 



Here we have both economy of room and material ; 

 there are no useless partitions in a honeycomb ; each 

 of the six lateral panels of one cell forms one of the 

 panels of the adjoining cell, and of the three rhombs 

 which form the pyramidal base of a cell, each con- 

 tributes one third toward the formation of the bases 

 of three opposing cells, the bottom or centre of every 

 cell resting against the point of union of three panels 

 at the back of it. 



ECONOMY OF MATERIALS. 



Economy of materials produces economy of labor 

 (says Bevan), and in addition to these advantages, 

 the cells are constructed in the strongest manner 

 possible from the amount of materials used. The 

 walls of the sides and bases of the cells are go 



