28 MANUAL OF APICULTURE. 
side temperature is low. Accordingly estimates as to the amount of 
honey required to produce 1 pound of comb range from 5 pounds to 25 
pounds. More accurate experiments are needed in this direction before 
anything positive can be stated. Until then 18 to 20 pounds might be 
looked upon as nearest the correct figure for white surplus combs, and 
half as much for dull straw-colored or brownish combs built for brood 
rearing. 
DEVELOP3IENT OF BROOD. 
Ordinarily the winter cluster in a hive of bees occupies the more cen- 
tral combs, four or five in number. Near the middle of this cluster the 
queen deposits the first eggs of the season (which are fertilized eggs) in 
the small-sized or worker cells. Under favorable circumstances, that 
is, in a strong colony amply protected against inclement weather, this 
deposition usually occurs in January, though in a very mild climate some 
brood is generally present during every month of the year, and the cessa- 
tion of egg-laying is very short. The eggs hatch on the third day after 
deposition into minute white larva?, to which the workers supply food 
in abundance. The composition of this food has been the subject of 
much attention and more theorizing. It may be considered as pretty 
certain that during the first three days of the life of the larva its food 
is a secretion from glands located in the heads of the adult work- 
ers — a sort of bee milk, to which, after the third day, honey is added 
in the case of the worker larvae, and honey and pollen in the case of 
drone larva?. As this weaning proceeds both worker and drone larvae 
receive pollen, and in constantly increasing proportions, in place of the 
secretion. But this rich albuminous substance is continued to the 
queen larva? throughout their whole period of feeding; moreover, the 
quantity of this food supplied to each queen larva is apparently super- 
abundant, for after it ceases to feed quite a mass of the food somewhat 
dried out will be found in the bottom of the cell from which a well- 
developed queen has issued. After assuming the pupa form the young 
queen is attached to this food by means of the tip of the abdomen, and 
it very likely continues for some time to receive nourishment from the 
mass. 
The following table shows approximately the time occupied in the 
development of worker, drone, and queen: 
] From deposi 
Egg. J Larva. ! Pupa. | tion of egg 
I to imago. 
The original circles of brood are gradually increased by the deposition 
of eggs in the cells next outside those already occupied, and circles are 
soon begun in the adjoining combs. In this way the space occupied by 
