WAX. 
115 
10 POLLEN CONVERTED INTO WAX? 
As for pollen being converted into wax or comb, a 
simple question will show its fallacy. Do not the bees 
belonging to a hive that is full of combs, and no more 
wax for that purpose needed, bring home as much and 
often more pollen than one half full ? Any person 
who has watched two such hives five minutes when 
busily engaged at work, can answer. It is evident, 
then, that pollen is for something else besides wax. 
HOW IS IT OBTAINED? 
The inquiry is now made, “ Where do they get it 
from, if not from pollen?” I might with propriety 
answer, they don’t get it at all. “Stop, there, if you 
please ; if you expect us to credit you, you must not 
give us too much absurdity.” Well, let me ask a 
question. Do cattle when grazing actually obtain 
flesh, bone, &c., or only the materials from which these 
parts are secreted ? As to the production of wax, I 
believe all close observers (that I have found) agree 
that it is a secretion natural only to the bee. With 
the ox, fruit, grain, or grass may be converted into 
tallow ; with the bee, honey and syrup made of sugar 
may be converted into wax. These are probably the 
only two substances yet discovered from which they 
extract it. Some writers have pretended that pollen 
is also used, but they have failed to prove that the 
old bees consume it at any time ; which they must in 
this case if it is converted into wax. From experi- 
ments related by Huber, either of these substances, 
mixed with a little water, is all sufficient for its pro- 
