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THE AMEEICAN BEE JOUKNAL. 



Bees and Blossoms. 



It is a striking fact that in many districts 

 flov/crs will be much frequented by bees, which, 

 in others, are entirely neglected by them; nay, 

 that in the same locality those which are com- 

 monly disregarded, will occasionally be visited 

 by crowds of these busy insects. To account 

 for this seeming capriciousness may be thought 

 by some to be an easy task. Thus it may be 

 alleged that the neglected blossoms yield no 

 honey in that particular district or season, or 

 that other plants there found, and then in blos- 

 som, yield nectar so superabundantly that the 

 bees prefer Avorking on them. In many, per- 

 haps in most cases, this may not only be a satis- 

 factory, but the true solution of the question. 

 Yet it is not always correct. Thus, for example, 

 during my residence in Russia, the bees of my 

 apiary in Podolsk, during more than ten years, 

 totally neglected the blossoms of the wild jas- 

 mine (Philadelphus coronarius Linn) growing 

 there in every garden, and rich in nectar. But 

 in 1802 I was greatly surprised to find them 

 visiting these blossoms in crowds, and gathering 

 honey. So likewise with the poppy, which is 

 extensively cultivated there every year. During 

 a series of years its blossoms were unfrequented 

 by the bees. Suddenly, however, I observed 

 that a change had occurred, and the poppy was 

 now become a favorite with them, and visited 

 by such multitudes tliat I could always find 

 several individuals busy in every flower, col- 

 lecting pollen with' a will. Now what was the 

 cause of this singular conduct V It cannot be 

 ascribed to the absence of honey in the blossoms 

 of the jasmine, nor to the deficiency of pollen 

 in those of the poppy, in the years when they 

 were respectively neglected, for, as I remarked, 

 there was then an abundance of honey in the 

 nectaries of the jasmine blossoms, and plenty of 

 pollen on the anthers of the poppy. Was lliere 

 a peculiar scarcity, at the time, of other honey 

 and pollen producing flowers 'i By no means. 

 The trees, shrubs, and plants of the district were 

 then in blossom as usual, and as rich in nectar 

 and pollen, as in the years when jasmine and 

 poppy had no attractions for the bee. 



How then is this strange contrariety to be ac- 

 counted for ? I must confess it is a mystery 

 which I am unable to fathom. To be able to 

 explain it, or in general to attain to any correct 

 results as regards the be(!-flora of a country or 

 district, it is requisite that we should obtain 

 reports of observations made in every section 

 of it, enumerating the plants resorted to or 

 disregarded by the bees, in ordinary times as 

 well as in special instances. But these observa- 

 tions must be very carefully made to preclude 

 error, which, once admitted, is so dilficult to 

 be eliminated. And especially must Ave be 

 heedful not to confound the various species of 

 Avild bees (Melitta;, ttc.) with our common 

 honey-bee — a mistake Avhich Gleditsch so fre- 

 quently made, that to me the larger portion of 

 his observations are, in this respect, utterly 

 valueless, or at best apocryphal. So, also, 

 should the proper name of the tree or plant be 

 invariably given, and its; botanical Latin name 



subjoined, if possible, that the particular plant 

 treated of may be unmistakably recognized. 



In the report of such observations, the fol- 

 lowing particulars should be especially attended 

 to : — First. Whether the plant in question pro- 

 duced honey only, or pollen only, or propolis 

 only, or both of the former, or all three together. 

 Second. The quality and quantity of the pro- 

 duct yielded. Third. Whether the honey 

 obtained is procured as nectar from the blos- 

 soms, or as honey-dew from the leaves or glands 

 of the plants; and whether the honey-dew is 

 the product of aphides or an exudation of vege- 

 table juices. Fourth. The time of blossoming 

 of the plant, and, if practicable, the kind of soil 

 in Avhich it grows, should be noted. 



Dr. Asmusz. 



For the American Bee Joaroal. 



Two Queens in an Observing Hive. 



There are a great many bee-keepers who are 

 kept in ignorance of the habits of the bees for 

 the want of proper hives. 



The Langstroth hive I consider the best for 

 practical purposes now in use. There is no hive 

 equal to the Langstroth Observing Hive. It 

 enables one to see all the changes that the bee 

 is subject to. By the assistance of an observing 

 hive, I have, within the last two months, had 

 an opportunity of witnessing the building of a 

 queen cell, and the raising of a young queen. 



On the 17th of August, 186G, I took a frame 

 from the Langstroth hive, and transferred it to 

 an observing hive. I then watched it closely, 

 aud on the 6th of October I saAV the young 

 queen emerge from her cell. I was ajixious to 

 see how the old queen would receive her. I 

 was not long kept in suspense, for the young 

 queen was very active, and frequented every 

 part of the hive in a short time, frequently 

 coming in contact Avith the old queen, Avho 

 received her very kindly. The young queen is 

 a fine specimen, and I am anxious to see if the 

 tAvo Avill be permitted to remain in the same 

 hiA'e. 



The young queen was fecundated on the 17th 

 of October, and on the 20th she commenced 

 laying eggs. From that time to the present 

 both are laying eggs incessantly, depositing a 

 great many outside of the cells, Avhich they 

 necessarily must for the Avant of brood cell s. 



My hive has no drone cells, but there have 

 been drones raised in the Avorker cells up to this 

 t ime. They, of course, Avcre mere dAvarfs. 



J. W. H. 



Salem, N. C, Oct. 26, 1866. 



The goodness of a hive is determined by its 

 Aveight; a hive of tAveuty-five pounds may be 

 considered excellent if in the mouths ot Febru- 

 ary or March ; if in September or October, 

 it is then but of a secondary character.— 

 Huish. 



In Avinter the bees occupy the top of the 

 hive; in spring and summer they occupy the 

 middle aud the bottom.— /6td. 



