166 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



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W. F. CLARKE, Editor. 



CHICAGO. JULY. 1874. 



Theories and their Advocacy. 



It is during tlie working season that 

 most of the theories of bee life are evolved 

 from the apicultural mind. While the 

 Iiees are busy building cells, the bee-keepers 

 are busy building theories. There are 

 minds that have a natural faculty for the 

 construction of theories, even as bees have 

 a natural faculty for cell-construction. 

 Theories ought always to be the results of 

 observation, and should be based on facts. 

 But they are often like those pleasant 

 stories we sometimes meet with, and which 

 are headed, "founded on fact." This is 

 generally fair notice that among what 

 is strictly true, there will be interwoven a 

 good deal that is purely imaginative. Im- 

 agination is very well in its place, but it 

 must be excluded from the realm of 

 science. It is pleasing and useful in light 

 literature, but considerable of a nuisance 

 mixed in with the solid and sometimes 

 prosaic affairs of real life. Not a few of 

 the most important of human interests have 

 sutfered from the tendency of mankind to 

 spin theories out of cobwebs, and to go to 

 the realm of investigation with their 

 theories ready made. Most of the diificul- 

 ties in theology have arisen out of precon- 

 ceived theories, which their authors have 

 sought to uphold, when framed, out of the 

 Book. Bee-keeping has sutfered in the 

 same way. People have gone to the hive 

 to get evidence in support of a favorite 

 theory, instead of going to it without any 

 theory, to gather facts as the material out 

 of which to manufacture theory. A certain 

 member of the British Parliament was 

 frank enough to confess that he trusted to 

 his memory for wit, and to his imagination 

 for facts. Not a few draw on the imagina- 

 tion for facts, who have not self-knowledge 

 enough to be aware of it, nor candour 

 enough to own up about it. Theories 



require the utmost deliberation and care in 

 construction, and, like Italian queens, are 

 not worth much until well tested. 



When a theory is adopted on what are 

 considered suflicient grounds, it should be 

 advocated with modesty and forbearance. 

 Haste in forming a theory is usually fol- 

 lowed b}' dogmatism in contending for it. 

 A man who is patient in constructing a 

 theory, will be patient in urging it upon 

 the acceptance of others. Slow in espous- 

 ing it himself, he will not be surprised to 

 find many who are slow as himself, if not 

 slower. Impatience to get credit and 

 honor from those to whom a theory is an 

 nounced, not unfrequently betrays theorists 

 into unseemly behaviour. Some espou'se 

 theories as they do matrimonal partners, 

 and afterwards illustrate the proverb about 

 marrying in haste, and repenting at leisure. 



Theories, if well-founded, will bear the 

 test of criticism, and the sensitiviness of 

 many to a dissenting word, argues no 

 great amount of confidence in their own 

 views. What is based on fact, can nevei- 

 be overthrown. It is like tlie " tall cliff " 

 immortalized by a great poet : — 



"Though round its base the rolling clouds arc 

 Eternal sunshine settles on its head." [spread. 



We commend these general, and as we 

 think, timely remarks, on "theories and 

 their advocacy." to all and sundry who 

 write for the American Bee Jouknai,. 



Bees and Grapes. 



It has often been insinuated by the 

 ignorant that bees injure fruit ; and some 

 time ago, a benighted little village in New 

 England undertook to expel all bees from 

 its limits because of their supposed depre- 

 dations. An American naturalist of some 

 note, not very long since brought this 

 accusation against the bees, and recom- 

 mended fruit-growers to protect themselves 

 against these industrious insects by the use 

 of certain recipes that would attract anil 

 destroy them. But the great majority of 

 fruit-growers are too keenly alive to their 

 own interests to take any steps toward the 

 suppression of bees or bee-keeping. It is 

 pretty certain that by collecting and 

 distrilmting the pollen of plants, the bees 



