1873.] 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Ill 



1. The fact is patent that all stings do not 

 have the same effect upon the'system; in your 

 own case, for instance, as given in a late num- 

 ber of the Journal, if that bee had stung you 

 on any other part of the body the effect would 

 have been the same, in its nature, only varying 

 in intensity and virulence, as one part of the 

 body is more susceptible than another; and, 

 yet, if I were to choose the spot to be stung I 

 should want to take a little time for reflection, 

 as to my mind the one received through the 

 hard skin of the hand I suffered most from. I 

 do not believe the state of the health, the partic- 

 ular state of the system, or any contigency that 

 may exist so far as the human frame is concerned, 

 has any thing at all to do with the virulence of 

 the bee-sting. Neither do I believe that one 

 bee is capable of imparting any more virus than 

 another under the same circumstances. 



2. No apiarian who has made any observa- 

 tions upon the manner of the individual bee, 

 "when making its attack, can but have noticed 

 that there are two marked and distinct modes. 

 First, the darting, quick, unwarned one ; second, 

 the humming one, that seems to say, " If you 

 don't get out of the way I'll sting you." The 

 first, so far as my experience goes, are always 

 very painful, acute and almost unendurable; 

 while the latter may properly be classed among 

 those that " amount to nothing when you get 

 used to them." 



3. Those stings whose effects operate like 

 " little tidal wavelets " effecting extremities, 

 causing a "strange tinglingscnsation intheends 

 of the fingers and toes, as if the virus courses 

 through the whole system " resulting in " a 

 general sense of weakness and soreness," are of 

 that class where the bee-stinger is inserted di- 

 rectly into a principal vein or main artery. 

 When this occurs, the virus is at once imparted 

 to the whole system through the blood, and then 

 come the class of bee-stings that may result seri- 

 ously, death only relieving the suffering patient. 



And now in conclusion, having already spun 

 out this article much longer than intended, I 

 will say that we should have very many more 

 bee-keepers than we have, were it not disagree- 

 able and even dangerous to be stung by the 

 bees, or could we have a sure remedy at hand. 

 Wm. S. Hawlky. 



UHca,K Y., Sept, 1873. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



A New Honey Company. 



Mr. Editor : I consider it my duty to com- 

 municate to you that I have lost all confidence 

 in the solitaire honey house of CO. Perrine, for 

 reasons given in a communication on the Glean- 

 ings in bee-culture, since I have in former 

 volumes of your valuable Journal recommend- 

 ed that great honey house, in some measure, 

 through which recommendation I might become 

 the cause of losses by my brother beekeepers. 



I have this year sold my honey and a number 

 of smidl lots I bought of neighbors, to a honey 

 house just starting under Ihe niime of the Chi- 

 cago Honey Co., at 860 Wabash Avenue, with 

 the former wife of C. O. Perrine as princi- 

 pal manager, whose business tact and ability is 

 conceded by all who know her. This new firm 

 offered me a liberal price, gave me nearly all 

 cash, after delivery of the honey. I feel per- 

 fectly confident that other beekeepers will have 

 no cause of regret if they should deal with * 

 this new honey house. 



I hoi^e I will so(m he able to send you some 

 very important communications for your valua- 

 ble Journal. A. Grimm. 



Jefferson, Wis., Oct. 18, 1873. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



The Honey Bee, 



(Continued from Last Number.) 



MODE OF COMMUNICATING AMONG BEES. 



Like every other animal living in society, bees 

 have a medium of communication. The effects 

 produced upon them by the loss of their queen 

 will furnisli proof of this fact. In a well peo- 

 pled and thriving hive, each bee is empl(>yed 

 in its appropriate avocation, some in attending 

 the young, some in making cells. At tirst, 

 when the queen has been abstracted, everything 

 goes on well for about an hour, after this time, 

 some few of the workers appear in a state of 

 great agitation, they forsake the young, stop 

 their labor, and begin to traverse the 

 hive in a furious manner. In their progress 

 wherever thoy meet a companion, they cross 

 their attennse, and the one tliat seems to have 

 discovered the national loss, communicated the 

 sad news to its neighbor, by giving it a gentle 

 tap with these organs. This one in its turn 

 becomes agitated, runs over the combs, crossing 

 and striking others. Thus in a short time the 

 whole hive is thrown into confusion, everything 

 is neglected, and the hunmiing may be heard 

 at a distance. Tliis agitation lasts from four 

 to five hours, after which the bees are calmed, 

 and begin to adopt the measures which are nec- 

 essary to repair their loss. 



That the agitation of the bees arises from the 

 loss of the queen scarcely admits of a doubt. 

 "I cannot doubt," says Huber, "that the agita- 

 tion arises from the loss of the queen ; for on 

 restoring her, tranquility is instantly re-estab- 

 lished among them, and, what is singular, they 

 recognize her." This expression must be inter- 

 preted literally, for the substitution of another 

 queen is not atten(\'d with the same effect, if 

 she be introduced into the hive within the first 

 twenty-four hours after the removal of the 

 reigning one. Here the agitation continues, 

 and the bees treat the stranger just as they do 

 when the presence of their own queen leaves 

 them nothing to desire. 



