Sec. 10.] BEES, AND TUE PROFFTABLE PRODDCTIOX OF HONEY. 



159 



deeply interested in grape-growing in that State, who think this business 

 and bee-keeping never can llourish together. It is a matter tliat will prob- 

 ably be investigated, since it involves two so great interests, particularly in 

 California, where both branches flourish in so remarkable a degree of liealth- 

 iuess. Certainly, in no part of the United States has bee-keeping given such 

 a promise of success. 



Bees, although they appear to thrive best, or at least with but little care, 

 in warm latitudes, are not confined to those regions. An article now before 

 ns gives an account of the successful introduction of bees into Aroostook 

 County, Maine, where the thermometer sometimes freezes, and afterward 

 the discovery of a wild swarm in a hollow tree, which was reuioved to a 

 hive and wintered in a dark, dry cellar, wliere they consumed very little 

 honey. This is a very good way to winter bees in all cold regions ; for ono 

 of the greatest difficulties attending bee-culture in the most northern local- 

 ities where they are found, is winter killing, not by freezing up in the hive, 

 though that sometimes occurs, but iiy the bees being aroused from tiieir 

 torjjid state by a few sunny days, till tiiey come out of the hive and are 

 overcome by cold before they can return again, and thus perish. "\Ve have 

 sometimes lost great quantities in this way, no farther north than lat. 41"^. 



Notwithstanding bees appear to possess a considerable degree of reason, 

 and the i)ower of ratiocination (a power that many men do not possess), 

 they arc, like men and women, very apt to be caught by outside appear- 

 ances, and venture forth from their warm homes upon sunny wings, to meet 

 the chilling blast of the outside world, and perish. 



Certainly, many acts of the lioney-bee seem to be results of a reasoning 

 fiiculty ; or is it that imdelined something that mankind call instinct? It 

 is indeed wonderful that so tiny an insect should possess a faculty scarcely 

 possessed by man, of constructing its domicile, or rather store-house, so as 

 not to waste an iota of material or space ; for that is a fact, in relation to 

 the honey-bee's comb. And all their interior household arrangements, the 

 order of their work, family government, and perfect order and harmony, are 

 such as should make mankind blush at their own iuetUciency. Many of 

 them should blush to think such an insect is so much more industrious and 

 frugal than themselves, and so much more careful to lay w]^ winter stores. 



One of the marks of reason, judgment, or instinct in the bee is manifested 

 in their never leaving the hive, although ready to swarm, in a stormy day, 

 nor when a storm or very high wind is approaching, whiih would be likely 

 to lilow away ono portion of the swarm from the other. 



AVHien the swarm does come forth it seems to be all by a given signal, and 

 the movement is sudden and simultaneous, guided by the call of their queen. 

 If by any accident or mistake the queen gets separated, or fails to cluster 

 witii the swarm, it is idle to try to hivo them. They will not take a new 

 abode without a queen. Is it reason that teaches them that they must re- 

 turn to the old hive, where they can mako a new queen out of the young 

 larva; in the cells of the old brood-comb ? 



