210 HOW TO KEEP BEES 



operator in his apiary, but a co-operator with his 

 bees, and we firmly believe that the bees are being 

 educated by the partnership, as well as the bee- 

 keeper. Bees certainly do learn by experience, as 

 is well instanced by some Cyprians, which, in their 

 native home, build columns of wax and propolis at 

 the hive-entrance to keep out the large death's- 

 head moth which preys upon them. After living 

 in this country for two years, the bees discovered 

 that there were none of these moths about, and so 

 ceased building these bars. The readiness with 

 which our bees use the comb-foundation and fit 

 their combs to the frames and follow the hint given by 

 the starters in the sections, all point to their adapta- 

 bility; and however others may regard the matter, we 

 never take off a section filled with just one pound of 

 pearly comb and amber honey that we do not pay 

 tribute to the bee intelligence which placed it there, 

 and regard the little artisans as true partners in our 

 enterprise. And we never doubt that in the future 

 this co-operation and co-education of bees and bee- 

 keepers will result in a perfection of honey-produc- 

 tion as yet undreamed. 



