THE AMERICAN BEE JOURISrAL. 



99 



another. Her first process is to form the ex- 

 terior coating, which is composed of three or 

 four pieces of larger dimensions than the rest, 

 and of an oval form. The second coating is 

 formed of portions of equal size, narrow at one 

 end, but gradually widening towards the other, 

 where the width equals half the length. One 

 side of these pieces is the serrate margin of 

 the leaf from which it was taken, which, as the 

 pieces are made to lap one over the other, is 

 kept on the outside, and that which has been 

 cut within. The little animal now forms a third 

 coating of similar materials, the middle of which, 

 as the most skilful workman would do in similar 

 circumstances, she places over the margins of 

 those that form the first tube, thus covering and 

 strengthening the junctures. Repeating the 

 same process, she gives a fourth and sometimes 

 a fifth coating to her nest, taking care, at the 

 closed end or narrow extremit}^ of the cell, to 

 liend the leaves so as to form a convex ter- 

 mination. Having thus finished a cell, her next 

 business is to fill it to within half a hue of the 

 orifice with a rose-colored conserve composed 

 of honey and pollen, usually collected from the 

 fiowers of thistles ; and then having deposited 

 her iigg, she closes the orifice with three pieces 

 of leaf so exactly ciicular, that a pair of com- 

 passes could not define their margin with more 

 truth ; and coinciding so precisely with the 

 walls of the cell, as to be retained in their situ- 

 ation merely by the nicety of their adaptation. 

 After this covering is fitted in, there remains 

 still a concavity which receives the convex end 

 of the succeeding cell ; and in this manner the 

 indefatigable little animal proceeds until she 

 has completed the six or seven cells which 

 compose her cylinder. 



The process which one of these bees employs 

 in cutting the pieces of tbe leaf that compose 

 her nest is worthy of attention. Nothing can 

 be more expeditious ; she is no longer about it 

 than we should be with a pair of scissors. 

 Alter hovering for some moments over a rose- 

 bush, as if to reconnoitre the ground, the bee 

 alights upon the leaf which she has selected, 

 usually taking her station upon its edge, so that 

 the margin passes between her legs. With 

 her strong mandibles she cuts without inter- 

 mission in a curve line so as to detacli a 

 triangular portion. When this hangs by the 

 last fibre, lest its weight should carry her to the 

 ground, she balances her little wings lor flight, 

 and the very moment it jjarts from the leaf files 

 off with it in triumph ; the detached portion 

 remaining bent between her legs in a direction 

 perpendicular to her body. Thus vrithout rule 

 or compasses do these diminutive creatures ■ 

 mete out the materials of their work into portions ' 

 of an ellipse, into ovals or circles, accurately : 

 accommodating the dimensions of the several : 

 pieces of each figure to each other. What other 

 architect could carry impressed upon the tablet ' 

 of his memory the entire idea of the edifice ' 

 which he has to erect, and destitute of square i 

 or plumb-line, cut out his materials in their ' 

 exact dimensions without making a single mis- 

 take ? Yet this is what our little bee invariably | 

 does. So far ai;e human art and reason excelled ; 

 by the teaching of the Almigh'y. ' 



How May Store Stocks ba Formed? 



1. By placing populous colonies in hives pro- 

 portionally large, atfording ample space for the 

 accommodation of brood and the storage of 

 honey. Populous colonies can be secured by 

 supplying the swarms with empty combs or 

 comb foundations. 



2. By uniting weak colonies with stronger 

 ones in the fall, giving to the united stock all 

 the stores which the two hives contain, and 

 reserving all the pure empty combs for the 

 use of the late swarms in the ensuing spring. 



3. By wintering exclusively one or two year 

 old fertile .and vigorous queens ; substituting 

 healthy fertile queens for young and feeble ones, 

 and such as are poor laj^ers; at the same time 

 keeping constantly on hand a supply of fertile 

 surplus queens in nucleid, for the prompt cure 

 of occurring queenlessness. 



4. By restraining the consumption of stores 

 during winter as much as possible; withdraAving 

 the hives from the influence of varying temper- 

 ature; sheltering tUem from cold winds, rain, 

 and snovv'; or where practicable, placing them 

 in a cool, diy, dark chamber or cellar. 



5. By encouraging the production of brood 

 in the spring ; using diluted honey every other 

 evening as a stimulative food, and admiuislering 

 it in liberal doses of from three to four pounds 

 in the course of every three days. 



0. By thorough examination of all the colonics 

 at the beginning of full pasturage, and equalizing 

 them in numbers and quality as nearly as may 

 be practicable. Combs containing honey and 

 brood are to be taken from the stronger colonies 

 and given to the weaker. The bees of queen- 

 less colonies should be given to neighboring 

 stocks not so bereaved. Drone combs should 

 be removed, and clean worker combs substi- 

 tuted. 



7. At the opening of full pasturage, supers 

 and surplus honey boxes must be made acces- 

 sible to the bees, though not to the queens. 

 Drone combs, removed from the main-hive or 

 brooding cliamber, may be very advantageously 

 inserted in the surplus honey box. 



8. While engaged in multiplying stocks for 

 the enlargement of our apiaries, avc must not 

 expect to obtain largo harvests of hone}^ The 

 main etfort must therefore be to attain the 

 normal number of stocks intended to be kept, as 

 early as practicable, without falling into the 

 pernicious error of multiplying more rapidly 

 than the season and the amount of pasturage 

 available will justify. 



9. By preventing the bees from hanging out 

 idly at any time, and by checking brooding 

 and comb-buildiug at improper periods. The 

 queens should always be removed, at least 

 temporarily, at the close of the term of full pas- 

 turage. 



10. By improving the pasturage of the vicin- 

 age by encouraging the cultivation of honey- 

 yielding crops,and the planting of locust, linden, 

 and other advantageous shade trees. 



Dr. Voigt. 



We have, on page 87, a very interesting ar- 

 ticle about Egyptian beus. 



