Hello all,
To add to the post of Allen Dick i have looked up in four of A.I Roots
ABC-XYZ comments on cell size for the archives and those readers
interested but not being able to reach out and pull the book from a
shelf. Oldest i looked in first.
ABC-XYZ by A.I.Root and E.R. Root copywrite 1935 quote pg 417:
If the worker -cells were exactly five to the inch there would be
exactly 28-35-15 cells to the square inch on one side of a comb. But
there is not this exactness,as will be shown by careful,although the eye
may detect no variation.Count the number of cells in a given length in a
horizontal row of cells and then make the same count in one of the
diagonal rows,and it will be found that they are not precisely the same.
That shows that the cells are not exact hexagons. Measure the cells in a
number of combs built by different colonies,or even by the same
colony,and it would be found that they are by no means all of them five
to the inch.

Comment: I believe the Younger and older Roots were beginning to notice
transition cells which i am going to do a post on. These were not added
to Roots publishings till the 40th edition which was done by Roger
Morse. The 1935 copy is the first to question the "five cells per inch".
I believe you need to be sure there are no transition cells involved
when measuring comb. Especially feral comb!

The 1940 edition ABC_XYZ by the same authors shows a change in their
opinion of cell size. Same authors but four years later.
quote page 190:
By far the larger portion of the cells in a hive will be found to
measure slightly less than five to the inch,or,more exactly,4.83 cells
to the inch. The above from 1935 edition is the next paragraph.

the 32nd edition from 1962 is exactly as the 1940 edition with the
exception A.I. was listed as author.

The 40th edition-1990- edited by Roger Morse and Kim Flottum do not
state a cell size for worker comb i could find. Different from the
Roots. The section on natural comb i find very interesting and
informative to people looking at cells. The material is quite different
than the other Root editions. Quite a bit of information on transition
cells. Most researchers now class natural comb as being of FOUR types.
Worker,drone,queen and TRANSITIONAL cells.

In "The Encyclopedia of Beekeeping" approx copy 1985 by Roger Morse
which predates the 40th abc-xyz Roger states the worker cell size at
5.0mm. Kim Flottum i believe reads bee-l and maybe he will respond as to
his and Rogers thoughts at the time on cell size. I had the good fortune
of sitting with Kim Flottum on a flight and was able to question him on
beekeeping. Extensive beekeeping knowledge! Can you help us out Kim?
Had Roger had a change of view on cell size or simple thought enough had
allready been said?  Kind of like many bee-l readers i suppose!
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison