THE AMERICAN BEE JOUENAL. 



89 



imagined if tlie so-called cellular or preformation 

 theory were true. According to the imitative 

 or epigenese theory which rests upon the 

 development of all being from the bud or germ,^ 

 it is quite natural to suppose that the germs of 

 propagation, like the germs of the other organs 

 of the animal body, should be formed and 

 develope themselves in time, so that the in- 

 fluence of the Egyptian climate upon beings 

 developed in Germany cannot be supposed. 

 From the beginning I inferred that if the 

 Egyptian bee could not at once bear our climate, 

 it was doubtful whether it would ever become 

 accustomed to it. If Apis fasciata, in order to 

 be kept with profit, must be compelled to alter 

 its nature, the acclimatization of the insect 

 would become impossible; for the native nature 

 of the bee is, according to our experience, un- 

 alterable, whilst its inborn impulses are un- 

 changeable, the Creator not enabling it to 

 develop new instincts. The belief that bees in 

 the West Indies leave off storing honey, because 

 they find food there uninterruptedly during the 

 whole year, is founded in mistake. Such a 

 change in the nature of the insect cannot be 

 imagined, as it is in direct opposition to the 

 immutable laws which govern the nature of 

 the bee. Horses may be broken in, dogs may 

 be trained, nay, even lions, &c., may be tamed, 

 but the nature of the bee neither man nor 

 climate can alter. The latter can only regulate 

 its instinct in every country of the earth in 

 accordance with the variation of the seasons." 



fFrom the American Agricnlturist.] 



Observations on Burying Bees. 



BY BID WELL BROS., ST. PAUL, MINN. 



In a prosperous colony, during a yield of 

 honey, the Queen or mother bee continues laj^- 

 ing to supply the place of bees lost from acci- 

 dent or continued labor, causing death. When 

 the yield of honey fails, Avhich often happens in 

 summer, and always in autumn, the Queen 

 ceases laying, and a gradual and certain reduc- 

 tion of numbers and stores takes place. In this 

 way we are confident that more than one-half 

 the relative value of all stocks is lost in the 

 ordinary methods of wintering bees. After a 

 yield of honey, if the weather continues warm, 

 many bees are lost during each successive day, 

 in fruitless attempts to collect honey, requiring 

 also an expenditure of stores for the exertion. 

 From this cause alone, bees at the South arc re- 

 duced to a mere handful during their mild win- 

 ters. This can be obviated in a measure by 

 darkening, not closing, the entrance to the 

 hive. Another waste occurs by disturbing the 

 bees in any way, allowing the wind to jar or to 

 cause a draft of air through the hive, making 

 them uneasy ; this most frequently happens in 

 windy situations — at times, in all places. The 

 opposite extreme, a want of ventilation, is 

 equally bad, giving the bees much labor to re- 

 place with pure air the impure air accumulating 

 in the hive. In moderate weather each rise 

 and fall of the thermometer outside is followed 

 by a similar change of temperature within the 



hive, the bees expanding their bulk in warm 

 terms of weather, and contracting in cold ones, 

 keeping in a circle to best maintain their heat. 

 Having to do this between several combs, some 

 are left between outside ones, which become 

 chilled and perish. In our climate, where the 

 bees are compelled to remain in their hives 

 several months during the winter, as they have 

 no opportunity to carry out their dead, these 

 accumulate on the bottom. 



Placing thermometers in several hives, and 

 outside, we ascertained that when the thermo- 

 meter outside fell below freezing, and during 

 all the time it remained so, the bees maintained 

 a temperature within, of one degree above 

 freezing, though the water in the open air in- 

 dicated a temperature as low as 37 degrees 

 below zero, or 68 degrees below that of the bees. 

 Giving three of the stocks a hard rapping, the 

 temperature arose within to 84, 88, and 89 de- 

 grees above zero, or an average of 124 degrees 

 above that outside. 



In the union of the oxygen of the air with 

 the carbon and hydrogen of the honey eaten, 

 heat, carbonic acid and water are produced, a 

 chemical phenomenon similar to common com- 

 bustion. Unless the ventilation is very good, 

 the watery vapor is condensed in cold weather 

 to water and ice in the upper part of the hive. 

 The carbonic acid, which is fatal to the bees, 

 if not removed by ventilation, causes death. 

 Hence the need of ventilating the cellars in 

 which bees are kept. In warm terms of weather 

 the ice or frost melts, and running down 

 wets the bees. Should the weather change 

 back to cold immediately, it would cause them 

 to freeze, or closing the entrance with ice, they 

 would smother. 



In some of these ways the numbers of the 

 bees are diminished, and they seek to re- 

 place the loss by raising brood, which is also 

 attended by many losses. For maturing the 

 young bees, honey, which supports respiration, 

 is consumed, and also pollen, which is neces- 

 sary to support the growth of the body, and 

 this is attended by a high degree of heat. The 

 honey which is fed to the young bees with the 

 bee bread must contain a large proportion of 

 water, (more than is contained in sealed honey, ) 

 and if the bees cannot obtain water to dilute 

 the honey with, the brood will perish. In un- 

 favorable weather it should be given to them in 

 a sponge or similar absorbent, placed Avithin 

 their reach. The proper consistency of honey 

 fed to brood is about that of honey just gatherecl, 

 which is half water. By observing when 

 bees collect water, one can be sure they are 

 raising brood and consuming honey. If bees 

 remain quiet and are strong in numbers, only 

 honey is needed to carry on respiration. This 

 causes comparatively little waste, but should 

 exertion become necessary, and new bees be 

 required to replenish the hive, pollen is needed, 

 which consists of nutriment and residuum. 

 The latter, if not expelled, accumulates in the 

 bodies of the bees, causing uneasiness and dis- 

 ease. 



In burying properly under ground, the prin- 

 ciple losses attending bees kept in other ways, 

 are saved by an even temperature, (v/hich we 



