188.5 



GLEANmCJS O JJEK CULTURE. 



19.J 



HARMONY AMONG BEE-KEEPERS. 



An Humble Attempt to Harmonize the Views 



of Heddon, Cook, and Doolittle, on the 



Causes of Bee Diarrhoea. 



FftlEND nALr.ANTINE TAKES A SORT OF inRD'S-EYE 

 V^IEW OF MEN, BEES, AND OTHER THINGS. 



f^ HE great Dr. Cumming, of London, in his elo- 

 sj' quent lectures on the book of Kevehition, 

 > makes this observation: "A great deal has 

 been written upon tliis book; much very 

 foolishly, more very rashly ; nothing-, however, 

 iu vain." We reach the same thing: in regard to 

 bee literature. Many foolish theories have been 

 promulgated; many rash assertions made, but noth- 

 ing in vain. All seem necessary to elicit the truth. 



The hypotheses and theories formerly cntei-tain- 

 ed in regard to the motions of the heavenly bodies, 

 however preposterous and absurd as they now ap- 

 pear to us, were, however, necessary to the evolu- 

 tion of the Copernican, or true solar system, as now 

 received. When these false hypotheses and theo- 

 ries were proposed, they elicited investigation. 

 In proving them false, tlie true system was by de- 

 grees evolved. Astronomers can now calculate 

 with accuracy, and demonstrate with certainty, 

 eclipses, the rising and setting of the sun, for every 

 degree of latitude and longitude on the surface of 

 the globe. They are not even content with this, 

 but extend their knowledge far beyond the limited 

 orbit of the earth, and calculate the eclipses of 

 .Jupiter's satellites and Saturn's moons. The data 

 to calculate the velocity of light, the power of at- 

 traction, and nianj- other marvelous things, have 

 thus been obtained, in a measure, thi'ough foolish 

 theories and false hypotheses. 



When we find this true, not only in the science of 

 astronomy, but in all other, maj' we not e.xpect 

 that the same results will flow from the science and 

 art of bee-keeping? Let us endeavor to demon- 

 strate the correctness of this conclusion. 



Mr. .Tames Heddon, of Dowagiac, Michigan, some 

 years ago advanced the new and somewhat start- 

 ling theory that pollen, the natural food of bees, was 

 the cause of all our " winter's discontent." Some 

 were surprised at its boldness, others were struck 

 with its novelty, while still others were tempted, 

 out of curiosity, to wisely investigate it, and ascer- 

 tain its truthfulness. These, like,' the philosoi)her 

 who, when his companions were warmly discussing, 

 why a bowl full of water would weigh no more with 

 a fish in it than it would without it, calmly s\iggest- 

 ed they ascertain, first, by weighing the bowl with 

 and without the fish, whether it was so or not, before 

 endeavoring to account for it. 



In the conviction of all who have thus investigat- 

 ed the pollen theoi-y of diarrheea, per se, l)y itself, as 

 the sole cause, it is marked " 7't7fff— weighed in 

 the balance and found wanting." Hut has there no 

 good resulted from it? Far from this, it has been 

 the means of eliciting some truth. Professor 

 Cook, renowned for his entomological lore and skill- 

 ful dissection of the insect race, has given a qiiaxi 

 indorsement of the so called i)ollen theory. He 

 thinks that colonies destitute of this nitrogenous 

 food will winter better than those which have it. 

 When such men are inclined to give the weight of 

 their influence to any suggestion or novel theory, it 

 almost staggers the man of e.xperieuce, let alone the 

 novice. Taking Heddon's theory, with Professor 

 Cook's e.xperlence and judgment iu its favor, and 



we are inclined almost to say, "There is either some 

 truth iu it, or else these men are terribly mistaken." 



But, friend Doolittle comes in with his calm, sa- 

 gacious, and inductive philosophy, and asserts that 

 he thinks the cause of bee diarrhoea is when colo- 

 nies are breeding, and when the young bees are 

 prevented from having a flight. This view be has sus- 

 tained by observations, made at various times in 

 his own apiary. We believe there is a moiety of 

 truth in this, although we have never observed the 

 phenomena that friend Doolittle has. 



Reasoning from analogy we are brought to this 

 conclusion: That in.sects, as well as other animals, 

 have their intestines full of a peculiar kind of mat- 

 ter that must be voided shortly after birth, to se- 

 cure the healthy and vigorous action of the system. 

 This matter is technically known as meconium. An 

 infant, a calf, a colt, and even a lamb, will not 

 thrive until this passes off. Is it, then, not a fair 

 inference to say that the young of bees must, in 

 like manner, have an opportunity to void this in- 

 crement, to insure health and vigor? Let us ne.xt 

 try to harmonize this trio of bee-savants. 



It is a well-known principle, that bees can not 

 breed without pollen. If, then, there is no pollen in 

 a colony, breeding is out of the question. This be- 

 ing the case, according to friend Doolittles theory 

 there will be no diarrhoea, because no young bees 

 to suffer. 



This will chime in with friend Cook's experience. 

 Colonies winter better with him, that have no pol- 

 len, and consetiuently no breeding. Friend Heddon 

 finds that some of his colonies are dying off witli 

 diarrhoMi, and discovers that all so affected have 

 pollen; he has not made the observations of friend 

 Doolittle, but infers that pollen is the true cause of 

 the bee mortality. His inference, though wrong 

 in charging the whole evil upon the pollen, which is 

 as i)inocent of jiroducing the death of his colonies 

 as Vennor's theory of this being a "mild " winter 

 was in producing the reverse, is, nevertheless, to a 

 certain extent, in harmony with Doolittles theory, 

 which inevitably recognizes the pi-esence of pollen. 

 If truth has thus been elicited, friend Heddon 

 has assisted, friend Conk's experience has corrobo- 

 rated, and friend Doolittlo's observations have con- 

 tributed nuidi to its discovery. These men, then, 

 are not unlike the three princes in the Arabian tale, 

 who were enamored of a fair lady, each being 

 severeli' wounded with Cupid's arrows. The ob- 

 ject of their affection being herself unable to de- 

 cide the question by making a choice, it was agreed 

 that the three princes should travel for a year in 

 any portion of India, of their own selection, and the 

 one who would secure the greatest benefit for him- 

 self and mankind in general would be the happy 

 party. One procured a piece of carpet of so potent a 

 pow er that it would transport its owner, and others 

 whom he permitted to sit upon it, to any part of the 

 globe desired. Another procured an eye-glass that 

 would enable its owner and others to see any ol).ieet 

 wished. The third procured an apple, of such 

 divine power as to heal every one, however diseas- 

 ed, that would but smell its perfume. Having all 

 three met at the expiration of the time, at the place 

 agreed upon, each confident of being the victor, 

 one happened to look in the glass, and saw the ob- 

 ject of his affection in the agony of death. This 

 being announced to the other two, the possessor of 

 the wonderful apple exclaimed, "If I were only 

 there, I could cui-e her in a momeut." The owner 



