. A dictionary of practical apiculture. Bees. PRACTICAL APICULTURE. 23 ating itself, and for this the queen and workers are all that is required. "We sometimes speak of a queenless colony, and the expression is not incorrect, but it is equivalent to saying that the colony is not full or perfect. The distinction between a colony and a swarm is simply this: A swarm is a new colony just separated from the parent stock. See Swarm. Colt.—A. name sometimes given to the second after-swarm. The" third is called a fitly. See Filly. Comb.—A number of cells built together so as to form a sheet.

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. A dictionary of practical apiculture. Bees. PRACTICAL APICULTURE. 23 ating itself, and for this the queen and workers are all that is required. "We sometimes speak of a queenless colony, and the expression is not incorrect, but it is equivalent to saying that the colony is not full or perfect. The distinction between a colony and a swarm is simply this: A swarm is a new colony just separated from the parent stock. See Swarm. Colt.—A. name sometimes given to the second after-swarm. The" third is called a fitly. See Filly. Comb.—A number of cells built together so as to form a sheet. Comb is always built with cells on both sides, the division between the ends of the cells being called the septum and serving as a bottom for both series of cells, thus saving wax. The cells are not placed exactly opposite each other, but the centres of the bottoms are arranged quincunx fashion (see quincunx). These bottoms are not flat but concave (as seen from the interior of the cells), being formed of three rhomboidal plates, consequently the cells are a little deeper than just half the thickness of the sheet of comb, which for brood is about 15-16ths of an inch. Such comb weighs about ^ lb. to the square foot, and it is said to require about 5 lbs. of honey per square foot to make it. Some writers, however, think that the amount of honey used in making wax is greatly over-estimated. As it is more than probable that beec cannot altogether control the production of wax, any moro than other secretions, it may be that tho wasto incurred in tho production of comb is not quite as great as has been supposed."' When filled and sealed, brood comb weighs about 5 lbs. per square foot, but the cells may be lengthened out so as to hold a much greater quantity. Koot says as much as 10 lbs. per square foot. Since honey varies very much in specific gravity (from 1.261 to 1.450. See Honey) even when sealed, we must not accept these figures as correct in all. WORKER COMB. DRONE CO