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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 15 



The queen, much larger and longer than 

 the workers, lives for several years, and is 

 the only perfectly developed female in the 

 hive; and, being the mother, she lays all 

 the eggs, laying as many as 4000 in 24 

 hours. The eggs are deposited in cells, and 

 in 21 days hatch into fully matured vi^orker 

 bees. 



These_ and many other marvelous facts 

 concerning the busy fellows give to them 

 an interest above their powers of producing 

 sweets. The movable-frame hive, the in- 

 vention of a clergyman, the late Rev. Lo- 

 renzo L. Langstroth, made it possible for 

 us to study the life-history of the bee. 



The benefits a clergyman derives from 

 the possession of a few hives of bees, apart 



from the beautiful stores of honey, are 

 many. First, there is the outdoor exercise 

 derived from studying them, which is a com- 

 plete relaxation from one's regular work. 

 Then there is the intense pleasure and fas- 

 cination from seeing the marvelous intelli- 

 gence they display in all their operations. 

 Some one has said that infidelity falls in the 

 presence of the bee-hive, so wonderfully do 

 these little folks reveal the Creator's hand. 



Then from them are learned many lessons 

 of industry, usefulness, and devotion to life- 

 work from which many illustrations for the 

 pulpit can be drawn. 



To the writer it has been a glorious treat 

 to leave the study when headache and fa- 

 tigue were coming on from prolonged men- 



Veil, gloves, and smoker protect one fully from being stung. After a little experience the veil and 



gloves are usually discarded. 



