44 J'JIVSIOLOGV OF THE HOXKV-BEE. 



piece of brood-eonib was then given to them, containmg 

 H'orker-eggs and worms. The effect produced by its intro- 

 duction took place nmch quicker than can be described. Those 

 which first touched it raistd a peculiar note, and in a moment, 

 the comb was covered with a dense mass of bees; as they rec- 

 ognised, in this small piece of comb, the means of deliverance, 

 despair gave place to hope, their restless motions and mourn- 

 ful voices ceased, and a cheerful hum proclaimed their de- 

 light. If some one should enter a building filled with thou- 

 sands of persons tearing their hair, beating their breasts, and 

 by piteous cries, as well as frantic gestures, giving vent to 

 their despair, and could by a single word cause all these dem- 

 onstrations of agony to give place to smiles and congratula- 

 tions, the change w^ould not be more instantaneous than that 

 produced when the bees received the brood-comb! 



The Orientals called the honey-bee ^'Deborah; She thut 

 speaketh." Would that this little insect might speak, in 

 words more eloquent than those of man's device, to those who 

 reject any of the doctrines of revealed religion, with the 

 assertion that they are so improbable, as to labor under a 

 fatal a priori objection. Do not all the steps in the devel- 

 opment of a queen from the worker-egg, labor under the 

 very same objection? and have they not, for this reason been 

 formerly regarded, by many bee-keepers, as unworthy of 

 belief? If the favorite argument of infidels will not stand 

 the test, when applied to the wonders of the bee-hive, is it 

 entitled to serious weight, when, by objecting to religious 

 truths, they arrogantly take to task the Infinite Jehovah for 

 what He has been pleased to do or to teach? With no more 

 latitude than is claimed by such objectors, it were easy to 

 prove that a man is under no obligation to believe any of the 

 wonders of the bee-hive, even although he is himself an intelli- 

 gent eye-witness to their substantial truth.* 



103. The process of rearing queen-bees will now be par- 



♦ The passages referring to religious subjects have been nearly all 

 retained in the revision, at Mr. Langstroth's request, even when not 

 In accordance with our views. As intelligent men are always tolerant, 

 we know our readers will net object to them. Mr. Langstroth was a 

 clergyman. 



