The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-01-29

yet It is nearly allied to the fats In
atomic constitution. and the physio
logical conditions favoring the forma,
ton Of one are curiously similar to
those aiding in the production OF the
other. We put our poultry up to fat
in confinement. with part light: to pc.
cure bodily inactivity We keep warm
and feed highly. Our bees. under ma.
lures teaching. put themselves up to
yield wax under conditions 90 parallel
that the suitability OF the fattenins
coop is INDICATED.
"Chesire In his Investigations say>
that on the inner side Of the eight
plates lining the lower side of the alb
domen are about 100000 glands, from
which the wax 10 secreted a. . white
liquid. which hardens ON exposure to
the air.
1T Is evident from the best authori
ties that the form and method of wax
secretion were KNOWN a. early n
1891. and possibly at even an earlier
date. The extraordinary economy OF
the use Of wax is shown by the fact
that the hive OF eight to ten gallons
capacity will yield but about two
pounds Of wax when melted. Accord.
ing to DR.. Donhof the thickness
OF the sides of q cell In q new comb
is only the l-lS0th part Of an inch.
Cheshire states that he found some
that measured only 1-40Oth part Of an
inch.
Notwithstanding the fragile nature
Of the hcneycomb. 1t il still suflicient.
~ strong to carry the relatively i'm
mense load OF sweets stored In its
cells. The perfection OF insect labor
Is shown. by the fact that human In.
genuity has never teen able to make
artificial honeycomb. The tales con.
corning manufactured honeycomh are
ngments OF the Imagination. Consider
that any machinery devised for manu-
featuring honeycomb would make all
parts alike In similar sections. Exam.
Inc carefully two or more one-pound
boxes OF honey at your grocer's. and
you will note the difference In the nm.
ish Of cappings and building the comb
fast to the wooden casing. which will
At once convince you Of the. genuine
ness Of the article.
mot only does the bee excel az an
artisan. but also as q chemist. Tts
honey stomach Is the most delicate
chemical laboratory In the world. Here
the nectar Of the flowers 10 trans.
formed from a highly diluted sweet.
susceptible Of speedy fermentation.
into the most perfect food product
known. This chemical change. In
verting the sugar. according to the
chemists phrase. Is undoubtedly ac-
complished In the laboratory Of the
bee during Its short flight from the
field to the hive. This chemical reac-
tion is SO delicate that no laboratory
aside from that of the bee can success.
fully accomplish It.
Consider the queen bee, the sole
and undisputed monarch OF her en-
pire. Endowed with powers super
human. she governs without exercising
visible authority. rules without coer.
cion.
The queen bee Is sole mother OF
the race. All life from the egg that
great biological axiom. is exemplified
in the hive. The queen mother pass
ing rapidly from comb to comb. places
a single egg In each selected cell, lay
ing the uncomfortable number of 5000
10 1000 In "a hours. This labor rep
resents in single day the expenditure
of physical substanc equal to two and
one-half times the weight of her body.
Consequently she does not even feed
herself. being always accompanied by
q devoted group Of. maids OF honor,
worker bees. whose once II Il to bring
in profnsion the choicest predigested
food to their ruler. Not the least OF
the wonderful powers Of the queen Il
that OF pre-determininG the ser Of the
offspring which shall result from eggs
precisely alike under the micro
scope. but which In turn may eventu-
ate In . worker. drone or queen. n
their mother may elect