BEE MANUAL. 97 
The grains of pollen, although sc minute as to form an almost 
impalpable dust, exhibit when viewed through a powerful 
microscope very beautiful and distinctive markings, according 
to the plants from which they are obtained. The engraving 
(Fig. 33) shows four different sorts of grains; that marked A 
being from the hollyhock ; the sources of the other grains are 
not given in Root’s ‘A BC of Bee Culture,” from which the 
illustration is taken. 
Previous to Huber’s experiments, bee-bread was supposed to 
be used in comb-building. He, however, proved, as we have 
seen, that comb could be built by the bees in confinement, by 
being fed with honey or sugar syrup alone. He was not long 
in discovering that pollen was used for the nourishment of the 
young bees. Confining some bees to their hives without pollen, 
he supplied them with larve, honey, and eggs. In a short 
time the young all died. A fresh supply of brood being given 
them, with plenty of pollen, the development of the larvee pro- 
ceeded in the natural way. The following analysis of bee-bread 
is taken from the Journal of Horticulture -— 
Artificial nitrogenous organic substance oe 2 O009 
Water ... : ae one ae se Bae Pe a! 
Ash... se bee sus ves ie Hes ang | SAO 
Albuminous .. on or ae aa a pag ALT 
Sugar..; aa bes oe che ee ms oo 20720 
100:00 
Here we find nitrogen and albumen predominating. 
The mode in which the bee-bread is deposited in the comb- 
cells is graphically described in the British Bee Journal for 
May, 1876, as follows :— 
‘‘ The pollen laden bee, upon entering the hive, makes directly for 
the brood nest, and where its load is required, it quickly disencumbers 
itself. Sometimes the nurse bees are in want of the all-necessary 
pollen, and nibble it from the legs of the worker without ceremony ; 
but more often the bee goes to a cell devoted to pollen-storing and 
hangs by its first pair of legs to another cell immediately above, and 
(as it were) kicks the balls of pollen into the proper receptacles. Here 
they are mixed with a little honey and kneaded into a stiff paste, 
which is then rammed hard against the bottom of the cell for future 
use, the bee using her head as a battering ram; these operations are 
repeated until the cell is almost filled with the kneaded dough, when 
a little clear honey is placed on the top, and itis sealed over and 
preserved as bee-bread. Ifa cell full of pollen be cut in two longitu- 
H 
