API 



Al'L 



p black colour, except the end of 

 the abdomen, which is red or onmge -co- 

 loured, more or loss deep in different in- 

 dividuals. Tin- female is of large si/is 

 measuring near an inch in length; the 

 male is considerably smaller; and the neu- 

 ter, or labouring bee, still smaller than the 

 male. The humble-bees in general live in 

 small societies of 40 or 60 together, in an 

 oval or roundish nest, excavated to a small 

 depth beneath the surface of the ground, 

 and formed of branches of moss, compact- 

 ed together, and lined with a kind of 

 coarse wax. In this nest, which measures 

 from four to six inches in diameter, are 

 constructed several ova] cells, which, how- 

 ever, are not the work of the complete in- 

 sects, but are the cases spun by the larvae, 

 and in which they remain during their 

 state of chn salis : the eggs are deposited 

 among heaps of a kind of coarse honey or 

 bee-bread, placed here and there at uncer- 

 tain intervals; on this substance the larvx 

 feed during their growing state : lastly, in 

 every nest are placed a few nearly cylin- 

 dric cells or goblets of coarse wax, and 

 filled with pure honey, on which the com- 

 plete insects feed. Sec Plate I. Entomo- 

 logy, fig. 4 6. For the management of 

 bees, see UKE. 



AIMUM, in botany, a genus of plants, 

 including parsley, smallage, and celery. 

 Class, Pcntandria Digynia; natural order 

 of Umbellate. Kssen. character, cal. gene- 

 ral umbel of fewer rays than those of the 

 partial; cor. general uniform; floscules 

 almost all fertile ; petals roundish, inflex, 

 equal; stain, filaments simple; anthers, 

 roundish; pist. germ inferior; seeds t\\o, 

 .'riated on one side, plane on the 

 other. A. petrosilinum, or common pars- 

 lc\ , both the varieties are in use ; but it 

 is remarked that the plane-leaved sort is 

 most commonly cultivated, though many 

 prefer the curled kind, because its leaves 

 are most easily distinguished from the 

 rtthusa, or fool's parsley, a sort of hejn- 

 lock, and a poisonous: garden wed, which, 

 while young, has great resemblance to the 

 common plane-leaved parsley. Hesides, 

 the curled paisley, from its having larger 

 and thicker leaves, and being curiously 

 hmbriatcd and curled, so as to shew full 

 and double, makes a better appearance in 

 its growth, and is more esteemed b\ rooks 

 for the purpose of garnishing disl. 

 It may, however, be necc.ssan. to o mark, 

 that this sort, as being only a \ariety, is 

 liable to degenerate to tin- common plane 

 sort, unless particular care be taken to 

 save the seeil always Trum the p.-rl'ect, 

 full curled plants. Hoththc varieties are 

 propagated by seed sown annually in 

 VOL. I. 



spring, where the plants are to remain . 

 but the plants are biennials, rising from 

 si (I so\\ n in March, April, M-iy, and 

 June. A. latitblium, or broad-leafed pars. 

 ley. The propagation of this species is 

 also by seed sown annually in February, 

 March, April} or May, where the plants 

 p-mani. For this purpose, a spot 

 of liirht rich earth, in an open exposure-, 

 is to be preferred ; the seed being sown 

 broad-cast, and raked in, the plants g.-ne- 

 rally appearing in about a month after 

 -own, and in May or June ti 

 to be. thinned and cleared from 

 i\ hich may be performed cither by 

 hand or hoe ; but the latter is most eligi- 

 : t will stir and loosen the surface 

 of the earth, which may be beneficial to 

 the plants, cutting them out to about MX 

 iistanoe from each other. In the 

 nd of July, the roots will mostly 

 have attained a si/.e proper for use, and 

 may be drawn occasionally; but tin \ sel- 

 dom acquire their full growth till about 

 Michaelmas. This is sometimes called 

 Hamburgh parsley, probably from its be- 

 ing much cultivated about that place. It 

 is chiefly cultivated and esteemed for its 

 large roots, which are white, and carrot- 

 shaped, being 1 long, taper, and of down- 

 right growth, often attaining the size and 

 appearance of small or middling parsnips; 

 they boil exceedingly tender and palata- 

 ble, are very wholesome, and may be used 

 in sou]) or broth, or to eat like carrots and 

 parsnips, or as sauce to flesh meat. A. 

 dulce, or the common celery. The me- 

 thod of propagation in all the varieties of 

 this sort, is by sowing the seed in the 

 sprng, and when the plants have attained 

 si\ oreight inches in height, transplanting 

 them into trenches, in order to be earthed 



up on each side as t!u-y advance in growth, 

 and have their stalks blanched or whiten- 

 ed, to render them crisp and tender. 



API. \\ATIC, in optics, a term applied 

 by Dr. Illair, professor of astronomy in 

 Edinburgh, to that kind of refraction d'-.- 

 coveivd by himself, \\hich corrects tin- 

 aberration of the ra\ s of light, and the 

 colour depending upon it, in contradis- 

 tinction to thcvord achromatic, which 

 h is been appropriated to that i\ fraction, 

 in which there is only a partial correction 

 of eolcnir. See Oi-Tics. Dr. lt!air dis- 

 o^eivd a mixture of solutions of aimno- 

 niaeal and niereurinl salts, and al-- 

 otherMibstauccs. \\ liich proi'.uccd disper- 

 sions proportional to that it 

 n spet ! to the different col.. 

 ipound K i 

 ol'u semi-convex one ofcrowngUu 



X n 



