356 



BEE. 



aperture is closed by means of the slide, and the first 

 full side box is then removed ; and the bees, finding 

 the middle box full, soon make their way into the 

 other side box. The ingenious action of the ventilator 

 is designed to retain the queen in the middle box, 

 since the reduced temperature of the side boxes pre- 

 vents the queen from rendering them her domicile, 

 whereby a great superiority both in the quantity and 

 quality of the honey is obtained, as it contains none 

 of the eggs, larvae, pupae, pollen, or bee-bread, which 

 is found in the centre box in considerable quantities 

 for the support of the young. By this means Mr. 

 Nutt has procured the 'amazing quantity of 296 Ibs. 

 of honey from one stock of bees, the general average 

 product being from 100 to 130 Ibs. 



But Mr. Nutt's own statement is so fully illustrative 

 of the advantages of his system, that we furnish it in 

 a tabular form : 

 Pounds. Pounds. 



First swarm on the 10th June, 1823. 

 127 Union of the present stock, 14th Aug. 1823, 28 

 132 Collection of honey, 12th .Tune, 1824, 



109 

 12-, 

 105 

 114 



Ditto 

 Ditto 

 Ditto 

 Ditto 



16th July, 1825, 

 10th A us:. 1826, 

 10th July, 1827, 

 6th Aug. 1828, 



712 For the bees' support during five years. 



737 Contribution Contribution 737 



1449 



Hence it is evident, that by this and other " huma- 

 nity "systems, the comparative estimate given by Dr. 

 Bevan of the advantages which are thereby obtained 

 over the old single-hiving system is well founded ; 

 namely, 



" Firstly, an economical division of labour, which 

 causes a larger quantity of wax and honey to be 

 collected than if the bees were to swarm and to 

 carry on their operations in separate families. 



" Secondly, the facility with which the bees may be 

 deprived of a considerable portion of their honey 

 without destroying their lives, or communicating to 

 the honey any unpleasant flavour from the sulphurous 

 gas. 



" Thirdly, the power which is afforded to the bees 

 of employing themselves usefully during wet weather. 



" Fourthly, the saving of that time which is unne- 

 cessarily spent in the construction of the fresh combs 

 in the new habitation, at a period of the year, it may 

 be observed, when nature is most lavish of her flowers 

 for the development of their sweets. 



" Fifthly, the saving of room ; for as every family 

 has more warehouse room than its respective necessi- 

 ties require, the division into small families must 

 multiply the proportion of this superfluous room. 



" Sixthly, the saving of time usually lost in the 

 preparations for swarming, when the bees hang inac- 

 tively in clusters on the outsides of the hives for many 

 days, sometimes for weeks, particularly if the weather 

 prove unfavourable." 



From honey is prepared a vinous fluid, heretofore 

 much used in England, called mead, metheglin, or 



hydromel. 



Fill the honry'd beverage high, 

 Fill the skuUs, 'tis Odin's cry- 

 Fill the meath, and spread the board, 

 Vassals of the grisly lord. 



This was, indeed, the chief wine of the old inhabitants 

 of Britain. It was prepared in various ways one ot 



which may serve as an example. " Into twelve gal- 

 lons of water slip the whites of six eggs, mix these 

 well together, add twenty pounds of honey. Let the 

 liquor boil an hour, and when boiled add cinnamon, 

 ginger, cloves, mace, and rosemary ; when cold put a 

 spoonful of yeast to it, and tun it up, keeping the 

 vessel filled as it works ; when it lias done working 

 stop it up close ; and when fine, bottle it off for use." 



Apiary. 



In the above engraving we give a representation 

 of one of the modes resorted to for facilitating our 

 acquaintance with the economy of the hive. Many 

 of the most important discoveries connected with the 

 habits of the bee have been made by the use of a 

 glass-hive, and the one represented in the engraving 

 combines all the comforts of a common apiary, with 

 a complete facility of examination. 



Having thus noticed the inhabitants and the pro- 

 ducts of the hive, we may now turn our attention to the 

 hive itself. " The most profound philosopher, equally 

 with the most incurious of mortals, is struck with 

 astonishment on inspecting the interior of a bee-hive. 

 He beholds a city in miniature. He sees this city 

 divided into regular streets, these streets composed of 

 houses constructed on the most exact geometrical 

 principles and the most symmetrical plan : some serv- 

 ing for store-houses for food, others for the habitations 

 of the citizens, and a few much more extensive than 

 the rest destined for the palaces of the sovereign. 

 He perceives that the substance of which the whole 

 city is built is one which man, with all his skill, is 

 unable to fabricate ; and that the edifices in which it 

 is employed are such as the most expert artist would 

 "find himself incompetent to erect." Such is the 



feneral description given by Messrs. Kirby and 

 pence ; but we will descend to more minute parti- 

 culars, observing that, although the hive and its 

 inhabitants have formed the subjects of investigation 

 from the earliest periods, its mysteries are not yet 

 fathomed it " is a miracle which overwhelms our 

 faculties." In the first place it is to be observed, that 

 the hive is but a convenience, not essential to the 

 establishment of a nest, since bees, after swarming, 

 will form their city in the hollow of a tree, or other 

 cavity. Thus the scriptural riddle, " Out of the 

 eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came 

 forth sweetness" (Judges, chapter xiv.), may be solved 

 by supposing that the carcass of the lion had become 

 dried up, and formed a convenient cavity for the 

 reception of the nest. And Montgomery, in his 

 Pelican Island, also notices the propensity of these 



