14 



QL\)t iarmcr'0 ilTontl)lij Visitor. 



ill tlic iiiaiiuliicture of wax ciindlts, wliicli are 

 liiiriiril ill ilie cln.iclies. Jii liiiii;;;iiy, (jiilliiiii, 

 iiiiil 'J'laiisjivadiu, Ijccs arc an olijecl ot'iiiucli at- 

 Iciilioii, vvliurc many |Jt'rsoiis dtrive an iinoinc 

 from lliL'ir |iio iiclioii. 'Iliiy |lOfS(■^s a|>iarii;8 

 containing from 150 toiiCO Ifiviis. In n.aiiy |>nrl.s 

 llicse animals are Itl't lo liieir own ins-lincl; no 

 otiit'r care is licsloHcd iii'on tlicm licsiilts I'liliirj;- 

 inf; the holt; in llie tree uliero tlicy are lod^'ed, 

 and jirovidin^' tliciii witli a shelf. In Dalmatia, 

 wlicre the siiiail diftrict of Catlaro annually ex- 

 ports ahout l.'),000 |i<)tiiids weight of wax and ho- 

 ney, the hives are constructed of rough marble 

 with a moveable lid. 



Mirido reports that Varro bad yearly for the 

 rent of his bees a iboiisaiid gallons of honey, and 

 tli;it a bouse in Spain, net bavin,!: an acre of 

 ground to it, made yearly eifihty pounds worth 

 of honey and wax ! 'I'he Don Cossacks keep 

 large stocks of bees; a few years aj;o the num- 

 ber of apiaries was 10-44, which contained 30,20] 

 hives, and produced annually about 2i.)8,7fi4 

 Jiounds wei;;lit of honey and wax. 



We are informeil by Siiiiond, in his travels in 

 Italy and Sicilv, that Sicilian honey is in much 

 estimation, and owiii^' to the ^iieat consumption 

 of v\ax in cbnrcbes, the proceeds of the bee- 

 iiives form a valuable iiem in husbandry. 



In New South Wales the product of the bee is 

 becoming an object of aitention, lor Mr. Cimninfj- 

 liani, in bis work on tbiit conutiy, says : "A num- 

 ber of swarms have, at dlfl'ereiit tiu:es, escaped 

 into llie woods, and the climate heingexceediug- 

 ly favorable lo bees, we may expect soon to see 

 Idves and wax added to oiu list of exports." 



I trust that I have stiid enou;;b to awaken at- 

 tention to the cnltivalion of the bee, and 1 do hope 

 that my elforls in this matter will stimulate some 

 ■of n;y fellow-eilizens to study the sidyecl, and 

 ihus be enabled, in an eiuineiit degree, to be use- 

 ;ful to itije poor and laboring classes. 



Every miner anri laborer shoidd have a hee- 

 boiiee ^ f<*i' by it, with a liille care and attention, 

 heoould feive for domestic purjioses a full sup- 

 |)ly fti honey. In every neigbbmhood there are 

 per.soHS who laive time and means which may 

 be devoted lo the benefit of the community in 

 wliirti ihey -live ; and what better employment 

 could any msn ilfsire than to give a poilion of 

 bis attemioi; to instrncling bis poor neighbors 

 liow «) cou8l.i<Jct a bee-house, and how to mau- 

 4ige lliose ii«e1id insects? " Jlartin's Bee- Housi:" 

 4S tbo most eeuiplele aiul |ierfeet structure that 

 tias, as -yet, boeti made for the accomiiiodalion of 

 the lH>iiey-be<:. IJy it hmicy and wax can be ui:- 

 <;iimuiaied to any amoiiuT, and the honey can be 

 'taken out at atiy time without killing the bees, 

 4ind in this simple an<l beanliliil structure the 

 whole economy, niioveinents anil operations of the 

 bee can be seen by means of glass windows which 

 are in every pint. 



Tbiti bee-ho!i.>w c.-in be made by any coiuinon 

 /■ar|K'nter, -and ilie whole expense would be tri- 

 ilingiii comparison to the benefits; aiirl it can be 

 so made iw^ vo in; a binmlil'ul ornament in garden 

 -.'ind flower pastures. 



The proprietor of" Abu tin's liee-Ilonse" is now 

 in Wasliiugton, and li'om all ipi.-Ljters be has re- 

 >ei;ivc;d testimonials ot' approbation. 



It is eertjiiidy a gri'at improvement on all fiirmer 

 strucluiHis, and must, wherever it is known, be 

 appreeiatod and lulopted. 



Our ("realor has spread ovir the earth flowers, 

 blossoms, and (r.igrant shrulis; luf has created 

 the iiKliistriun-i lioiiey bee, who, by its inslincls, 

 will gather, as i: iovc;s from flower to flower, the 

 delicious honey, anil all that is reiiuired of man 

 is lo build a liltle house fi>r the insect, w here he 

 will de|>oHit in abundance llii> hom'v and wax, 

 vvliich increase lu.-ni's coirdi>rts, and aild lo bis 

 j'lijoy.oents! Anaelied to every collage, there 

 should Ik; a bee-house; and in the iron ami coal 

 regions of the comuioiiweallli, such a structure, 

 with its miinerous inhabitants, humming of a 

 spring iiMirn, amidst the opi'iiing flowers and de- 

 licious iMids and blossoms, which nalure scatters 

 with a bounliliil and munificent band, would hi: 

 an interesliu<; t>(>eclaclo of rural beamy, and add 

 a poetic character to the scene, which all can fiel, 

 but none bin the poet describe. 



WoKKiNo f!iRi,s. — Happy (jirls! who can but 



IfU- ihetn? Willi cl,, ■,■!;-. It';.- ll -. b.i^lil 



eyes and elastic step — bovv cheei fully llii'y go lo 

 their work. Our repututiuii for it, iiucli ^irls will 



make excellent wives. Blessed indeed will tho.se 

 men be who secure such prizes. Contrast with 

 these CO lenlcd, cbeefliil, siuiliug girls, those who 

 do nolbiug but sigh all day and live only lo fol- 

 low the liisbions — who never earn the bread tliey 

 eat or tbo shoes they wear — who are languid and 

 sick and lazy from one week's end to the oilier. 

 Who but a siiiipletoii and a popinjay would pre- 

 fer one of the latter, if he wi re looking li>r a com- 

 panion? (iive lis the working girls. They are 

 worth their weight in gold. You never see them 

 ininciiig along, or jump a dozen feet to steer 

 clear of a sjiider or a fly. They have iioafTeeta- 

 lion — no silly airs about them — when they meet 

 yon, they speak wiibout putting on a dozen airs, 

 or trying lo show ofi'to better advantage, and }ou 

 feel as if you were talking to a human being, and 

 not a painted, fallen angel. 



If gills knew how sadly they miss it, while 

 they endeavor to show off their delicate hands 

 and imsoiled skins, and put on a thousand airs — 

 they would give worlds for the situation of the 

 despised working ladies, who are so fur above 

 them in intelligence, in honor, in every thing, as 

 the heavens aie above the earth. Be wise, then, 

 ye who have made fools of yourselves, though 

 late, lo live and act as human beings, as compan- 

 ions to immortal man, and not playthings and 

 dolls. In no other way can you be happy and 

 subserve the designs of your existence. — Port- 

 land Tribune. 



The Post Office in I^oiidon. 



Upwards of two linnibed millions of Letters 

 now pass through the Post Offices of the United 

 Kingdom in the course of a single year. In 1838, 

 the last year of the old system, the gross revenue 

 was £2,34li,298. It has been in operation for 

 more than half a century by mail coaches, with 

 an armed " Guard " lo each. 



Mail coaches have now had iheir day, a death 

 blow having been given to ibein by railways, 

 which are made use of as far as they at present 

 exist, fVir the conveyance of mads. A much 

 more important change which has taken place in 

 the affairs of the Post Ofiice, and which has been 

 atlended with others, is the Penny Postage. For 

 Ibis scheme, which lijruisa new era in the history 

 of the Post Office, the public are indebted to I\lr. 

 Rowland Hill, who lias hereby rendered essen- 

 tial service to bis country. It came into o|)era- 

 liiiu .lanuary 10th, 1840, and although the very 

 diuiinished rate of postage caust'd a considerable 

 deficit in that branch of the revenue, during the 

 first J ear, the number of letters transmllted by 

 post, has since gone on increasing annally in such 

 a ratio, that in four or five years more the new 

 system will prove as productive to the Govern- 

 ment as the former one. Alicr the rednction of 

 postage lo a minimum, one of the chief features 

 in the present system is the equalization of the 

 rale of postage without regard to distance, where- 

 by evi;ry part of the Kingdom enjoys the advan- 

 tage in the same degree, and that al just hall of 

 what used to be the charge of the Londoii Dis- 

 trict Post. The abolition of the privelege of 

 Franking must also be considered a ileciiled im- 

 (irovi'menf, fiir it was nnjiisi in principle, and 

 most grossly and notoriously abused, to say no- 

 thing of the pence-saving meanness to wliieb it 

 gave rise on the part of those who were wont to 

 go a begging in a respectable \\ay, to their privi- 

 leged friends, tiir frank.s, and wlioseem to have 

 sometimes regulated llieir corres|iondonce by the 

 opportnuilics of obtaining them. 



The present building was commenced toward 

 the end of 18213, and opened for business Sept. 

 18'Jif. TIk; exterior is of Portland Stone, and 

 forms an insulated paralh'logram of 381 by P»0 

 fi.'ct. 'I'he cost of its erection, iucliiding fittings 

 and furniture, was between £230,000 and 

 £240,000. 



Since till! reduction on the commission, or per 

 cintage on money order.s, the business of the 

 l>ipartment has inerea.sed al least ten li)ld. Two 

 hours — viz : from six o'clock lo eight, most pnnc- 

 inally are allowed fijr ihe operation of assorting 

 the papers and letters after they are received, 

 and liu' making up all the mail bags. Of news- 

 papers aloni', the number passed through the 

 Post Office on a Saturday night, is not less than 

 II hundred tlionsand ; and the weekly average is 

 ro'ii) III' ll -1. It i,lii'\r br'lf' a niilliou. 'I'! e mi re 

 packing; inpiire.-! bolb dixliiity and drspalcli. 



Tbo "Leiler Curriers' Office " is 103 feet long 



by 2.5 widi.',aud occupies the height of two floors ; 

 about 370 persons are here employed, viz: 100 

 in the galleries, and the rest on the floor, and 

 each has a particular station assigned to liiiii by 

 number; fiir were not strict system and method 

 observed with regard to the minutest details of 

 so vast and cnmpliiated an estahlishmeut, and 

 one in which precision of time, even to a mo- 

 ment, is of the utmost importance, the whole 

 would be thrown into confusion. 



'I'he assorting a chaotic mass of some myriads 

 of letters, within the brief space ol time that is 

 the utmost which can be allowed fin- the purpose, 

 might be thought quite an impossibility. The 

 first process is that of stamping them, which is 

 performed al the rate of two bundled per min- 

 ute, by each of the persons so employed ; they 

 are then assorted into twenty great divisions, 

 each division comprising a particular main line 

 of roads ; w Inch being done, they are again sub- 

 sorted, according to the different post towns for 

 which the bags are made up. Notwithstanding 

 the extraordinary rapidity with which all this is 

 performed, it is done without bustling hurry, 

 because methodically and habitually. Still, it is 

 astonishing ibat accidents and mistakes are of 

 such rare occurrence, and that letters should not 

 be frequently put into a wrong mail bag ; more 

 especially when it is considered in what .sort of 

 hand writing some of them are superscribed — 

 more of hieroglypliical than caligiaphical char- 

 acter—certainly not such as " he who runs may 

 read." The institution of the Post Office opera- 

 ting unceasingly with all its vast machinery, op- 

 erates silenlly, not only to the immediate benefit 

 of individuals, but lo that of the country at large, 

 as one of the greatest agencies of civilization. — 

 Letters are conveyed from Nova Scotia to Lon- 

 don in eleven days, and liom London to Bombay 

 in thirty one. 



Large Machi.'ve Shop. — The Philadelphia In- 

 quirer gives the following extract of a letter da- 

 ted " Head Mechanical Works, Alexanderoffsky, 

 Si. Petersburg, Russia, Nov. 4lh, 184G." 



" In the begiiming of our operations here, we 

 had lunch, very mncb to do, in organizing this 

 mammoth estabiishmenl. We found it greatly 

 in decay and confusion, so mncb so, that we a-, 

 bandoned all the old tools, and fitted up the es- 

 tablishment anew. We were looked upon by 

 many as wild adventurers, and that we had un- 

 dertaken to do a vasi ileal more work, than it 

 was possible to do in the time allotted : but at the 

 expiration of our second year, they hecnmc con- 

 vinced 'that some things could be done as well 

 as other.*,' and at the present lime it is only re- 

 quisite lor IIS to say a thing con be done, and all 

 bands knock under. We shall finish this year, or 

 the beginning of the next, the tidl compliinent 

 of trucks, (.5300) and in all of next year, (1847) 

 the 162 locomolives will he finished. \\'e are 

 now driving on wilb such speed, that we would 

 fii I no besiial on in dnplic.-iting our first order 

 by I8S0. We have limited the number of en- 

 j^ines lo be Iiirucd (uit to six a inoiitb, lo prevent 

 riiimini; out of materials. We have turned oiil 

 nine in a month, .uiil the nuuiber I'ur the last ten 

 months is (i5 — the liill nuniber now finished is 

 8.5. In our car shops we are getting on very 

 finely; we have delivered to the Government 

 200 plailiirm cars, and 300 box cars, and are 

 now finishing five liox cars every day — they are 

 large eight wheel cars, 30 feet long. We have 

 not yet commenced on the iias.se'iger cars, but 

 have completed Ihe bnildiug of a shop for that 

 purpose. The bniUllug is 375 It. long b\ liO wide, 

 anil divided into three apartments — the first, fiir 

 preparing the wiak, the second for erecting, and 

 the thiiil for paiming. The number of cars that 

 wo have In make is 2000 box, .580 plalliirm, .mil 70 

 passengi r cars — making the compleiuent liir the 

 .5300 trucks in the first order. Independently of 

 these, wi' have taken nn order liir two Imperial 

 cars, 70 feet long, to le placed on 1(> w beefs. — 

 We are to receive for these cars, — rubles of sil- 

 ver each, or ,*8l)2.5, without chaii.s, soliis, or In- 

 side tiimming. We have nndci laken and now 

 biive nearly completed, about 20 miles of rail- 

 road. Tbi.s we undertook, more for our acconi- 

 mndation lliali profit, so as lo have a poriion of 

 the road to operalc upon. We have dcclineil 

 iiikiii;: i!:' icl I'l' l' •■ iii;'il. as it would ielrr- 

 fere Nvith oiii prtsini I.iImuls.-. \\c tio i oi»M\i- 

 cruble trunsient work, and could have uiucli niuro 



