44 



GLExVNINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 



talline lens bulges more as we look at vei-y near ob- 

 jects, and less as we gaze at things distant, and so 

 we are able to see distinctly in every case. In 

 " cataract " this crystalliuo lens becomes opaque, 

 and the person, of course, is blind in that eye. The 

 operation tor cataract consists in the removal of 

 the crystalline lens, Avhich is often done in case of 

 cataract in both eyes. Isn't it marvelous that a 

 surgeon can cut right into the eyes, take out a part, 

 and thus restore vision? 



Bnckofthe crystalline lens ia the .ielly-like, per- 

 fectly transparent vitreous humor, V H. This 

 seems to be a sort of packing to fill up the space 

 between the crystalline lens and retina. Of course, 

 it must be transparent, else how could the light 

 pass to the retina? The retina, R, is the e.vpansion, 

 away back in the eye, of the optic nerve. This ret- 

 ina is the tell-tale. Itrepoi-ts to the brain all the 

 beauty of form and coloi-ation in the outside world. 

 What a terrible blank in the life, when no such re- 

 ports arc made! The retina is very complex, and I 

 will not describe it. 



Just outside, or back of the retina, is the black 

 choroid coat, the dotted line marked C H. This is 

 black because of pigment, and it also contains the 

 blood-vessels that nourish the eye. To see well, 

 the eye must be a black chamber, and so this cho- 

 roid coat is black; the same is true of the micro- 

 scope and the photographers camera. Indeed, 

 every perfect optical instrument has a black lining. 

 Now, all insects— and so our bees— have eyes of 

 similar structure to our own. The bees have two 

 large compound eyes— one on each side of the head, 

 and three simple eyes. The compound eyes consist 

 of many simple eyes close together. Sometimes 

 each compound eye is made up of thousands of sim- 

 ple eyes. Each one of these simple eyes has a 

 cornea, humors, crystalline lens, and retina, from 

 wliich a nerve runs to the brain. 



We detect form in objects, it is supposed, because 

 we have two eyes, and see a little more to one side 

 of an object with one eye, and to the other side 

 with the other eye. Miiller held tliat bees and all 

 insects could, in the same way, detect form as well 

 as motion and color. His was termed the mosaic 

 theory of vision. E.xner opposed this view, and 

 held that insects could not perceive form. Plateau, 

 of Belgium, has just reported to the Belgium Acad- 

 emy many experiments, and concludes with Exner 

 that bees can not detect form. He also says that 

 the simple eyes are imperfect, or rutl^mentary eyes. 

 That, as he says, bees have no better eyes than flies, 

 is certainl.y a reasonable conclusion. 



Now, what do our hee-kecpers say to this theory, 

 that bees can not detect form? Are we not certain 

 that a skmting board, or a slight change in position 

 of the hive, is at once detected? 1 believe facts, as 

 gained in that large laboratory, theapiary, are often 

 stronger than facts gleaned in a much smaller way 

 by the scientist in his laboratory. 



Again, theory would assei't quite as readily that 

 the compound eyes could, from their peculiar 

 structure, detect form as quicklj' as motion. True, 

 motion is ever throwing the image in diflerent snn- 

 ple eyes; but varying form would also affect differ- 

 ent simple eyes, and why might not different eyes, 

 as well as a varying position in two eyes, detect 

 form? That the single simple eyes are imperfect, is, 

 I think, true. Often they are so covered with hairs 

 as to make them useless; and the very fact that in 

 many insects they have been snatched away entirely. 



suggests that they are useless in all. If any reader 

 wishes to study an eye, let him procure a head at a 

 slaughter-house, freeze the eye after it is carefully 

 cut out, then it can be dissected and examined in all 

 its parts. A. .1. Cook. 



Agricultural College, Mich. 

 Thanks for the very able manner in wliich 

 you have treated tliis subject. I am sure 

 our little friends will tind great pleasure in 

 reading from your pen. It was ray intention 

 to give the children a little talk on the eye, 

 but I felt myself not '• big enough " for the 

 task. I had thought of writing you for 

 wliat information I lacked, Init I see, by a 

 kind of special pro^■idence you have antici- 

 pated my (luestions. In anotlier column, 

 since yoti have opened the Avay, will be 

 fomid a few more notes on this subject. 



IIow I shoiUd enjoy being one of your stu- 

 dents in this special kind of workl It was 

 my hope, after linishing my classical educa- 

 tion, to take a special course under you ; but 

 fate, if that be the term, has denied me that 

 privilege. Ernest. 



pnpBass WB Dwindles 



PERTAINING TO BEE CULTURE. 



We respectfully solicit the aid of our friends in conducting 

 this department, and wouid conMder it a lavor to have them 

 send us all circulars that have a deceptive appearance. The 

 greatest care will be at all times maintained to prevent injus- 

 tice beinK done any on-*. 



JIONEY FOK THE POOR MAN ; THE GKEAT ACME 

 PENETHATIVE. 



fNDEIi the above title, or something 

 like it, you v.'ill notice, in many of the 

 papers, a picture of a stump on lire, 

 with an advertisement of a chemical 

 that will be sent for a dollar, sufhcient 

 to burn tiny stump, green or dry. and the 

 dollar's worth will burn up. root and branch, 

 V2 large stumps or 18 medium-sized ones. 

 Tlie advertisement says the compound con- 

 tains no saltpeter. We sent our dollar and 

 obtained a pinkish-colored compound thai 

 docs contain saltpeter. A circular came 

 along with it, headed, ''Money for the Poor 

 Man.'" On the last page of said circular are 

 quite a number of testimonials from farmers, 

 relative to the wonderful results obtained 

 by the use of tlii.s Acine penetrative. Every 

 (jite of these testimonials, however, is desti- 

 tute of address and date. The advertise- 

 ment comes from F. E. Eross iv: Co.. New 

 Carlisle, Ohio. In writing to the above tirm 

 in reference to sending out such testimonials 

 tliev make no reyjly. The paper wrapped 

 aro'und the Acme i)enetrative was part of an 

 advertising circular of a tirm in New Car- 

 lisle who formerly dealt in bee-supplies. 

 The 0/i*o /'\(rj/ie/- contains a caution to far- 

 luers about a new kind of seed wheat, also 

 coming from this Fross & Co.. with thename 

 spelled a little dilferently. The Eiiral Ncir- 

 Yorler also has a caution in regard to swin- 

 dles about a chemical for burning out stumps. 

 The whole matter seems to be in some way 

 mixed up with the names of those who for- 

 merly advertised bee-supplies from New 

 Carlisle, therefore our bee-friends will prob- 

 ably get an abundance of circulars from this 



