24 BEES 



each bee, when it starts on its collecting- tour, devotes itself 

 to one particular species of blossom. The nse of this 

 curious instinct in the fructification of flowers is evident. 

 The bee, by visiting various blossoms, either shakes the pol- 

 len from the stamens upon the stigmata, or by bearing* 

 about them the pollen from a male flower, and afterwards 

 visiting' a female flower of the same species, renders them 

 fruitful. This great object will, of course, be better secured 

 if the bee only visits one species of flower, as if it visited 

 several, either the pollen might be such as would have no 

 fertihzing' efiect, or it would produce an endless catalogue 

 of varieties which, as is well known, never do occur spon- 

 taneously, and are only to be found in the garden of the 

 florist, who often appears to base his happiness on pro- 

 ducing- a flower as unlike its original form as possible. 



There is yet another substance formed by those wonderful 

 little workmen, the bees, namely, j^'^opoUsy which is of a 

 resinous nature, and derives its name from its uses. This 

 most useful material is obtained principally from the 

 young buds of various plants, which are defended by a 

 resinous varnish from the weather, while they are yet 

 feeble and unable to withstand its inclemency. Among 

 the principal of the resinous buds we may notice those of the 

 hollyhock, the horse-chestnut, the willow, the poplar, and 

 the fir. It is taken from the bud in threads, moulded upon 

 the thighs, and conveyed home just as the pollen is. The 

 bees seldom make use of it in its original state, but mix it 

 with wax in various proportions according to the work to 

 be executed. It is somewhat singular that bees should 

 employ this substance so extensively, for they are in 

 general violently opposed to the smell of turpentine, and 

 you can hardly insult a bee more than by offering him a 

 little spirits of turpentine to smell. The actions of the poor 

 bee strongly resemble those of a cat which has been forced 

 to inhale the odour of a reasonably powerful bottle of smel- 

 ling salts. 



Propolis signifies before tJie city; the Greeks having 

 observed that it was used by the bees to strengthen the 

 outworks of their city. It is with propolis the combs (or 

 the blocks out of which they are constructed) are fastened 

 to the roof of the hive. It is with propolis the bees defend 



