FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 2< 



Having selected a Worm of three days old, or less, they 

 sacrifice three of the contiguous cells, that the cell of the 

 Worm may be formed into one adapted for a Queen. In 

 the mean time, the Worm is fed with the jelly before men- 

 tioned, and at the expiration of three days they proceed to 

 alter the ceil into an upright one. When the Queen has 

 reached maturity, the seal of the cell is broken, and she 

 comes forth qualified to fulfil every function on which the 

 preservation of so many lives depends. 



It would therefore seem that the Workers are imperfect 

 Females in their organization ; and this is further evident, 

 from the fact that some of them lay eggs, which, however, 

 produce no other Bees than Drones. 



Honey is the food of Bees: It is a vegetable secretion, 

 which appears at different seasons of the year, and particu- 

 larly when flowers are in blow. The Bee licks it from 

 these with its proboscis; the honey is swallowed; and on 

 returning to the hive it is disgorged, not from the trunk 

 of the Bee, but from its mouth, into the cells. Into some 

 of these honey for daily use is put ; while that put into 

 others is sealed up, and reserved for times of necessity. 

 Many of the Workers free themselves of their collections 

 before reaching the hive, by bestowing them on others ; 

 and for this purpose the trunks of these are seen extended, 

 and they receive the honey into them as it is disgorged. 



The wax is afterwards formed from honey ; and when the 

 Bees swarm they always carry enough of it with them to 

 construct some combs. They can also form these from 

 sugar, as has been proved by experiments made for the 

 purpose. The yellow matter with which they return laden 

 is composed of the farina of flowers, which is the food for 

 the Young of th.e Workers, and Drones, as before mention- 

 ed ; and also of a resinous matter, called propolis, which is 

 used to line the hive, and stop its crevices. The propolis 

 is also used to cover any offensive insect or animal that 

 may get into the hive, and which they cannot remove after 

 killing; such as, snails, 8cc. In this case, the covering 

 they put over it prevents its becoming offensive and con- 

 tagious. 



The Queen that has become a Mother is treated with 

 much more consideration and respect, than before this 

 event has taken place. She is, nevertheless, the Leader of 

 the first Swarm that leaves the hive in the season. She 

 exhibits the first symptoms of the swarming that is about 

 to ensue. She becomes greatly agitated; runs about 

 among the rest, and communicates to them the same feel- 

 ing as she passes along; drops her eggs at random: 

 Those coming in loaded neglect to unload themselves, but 

 run precipitately about, as the tumult becomes more gea- 



