164: THE HIVE AND HONEY-BKE. 



Apiarian, let him use what hive he will, to be entirely 

 independent of natural swarming. 



It will be obvious, however, that artificial swarming, to 

 be successful, requires a knowledge of the laws which con- 

 trol the breeding of bees. Those, therefore, who are ig- 

 norant of the economy of the bee-hive, cannot safely 

 depart from the old-fashioned mode of management ; as 

 emergencies which they are unprepared to meet, may at 

 any moment occur. An Apiarian may use the common 

 hives* a whole life-time, and, unless he gams his infor- 

 mation from other sources, may yet remain ignorant of 

 some of the most important principles in the physiology 

 of the honey-bee: while any intelligent cultivator may, 

 with movable-combs, in a single season, verify for himself 

 the discoveries which have been made only by the accu- 

 mulated toil of many observers, for more than two thou- 

 sand years. 



By the aid of movable-comb hives, artificial swarming 



* " An opportunity of beholding the proceedings of the queen, in hives of the 

 usual form, is so very rarely afforded, that many Apiarians have passed their lives 

 without enjoying it ; and Eeaumur himself, even with the assistance of a glass-hive, 

 acknowledges that he was many years before he had that pleasure." SEVAN. 



Swammerdam, who wrote his wonderful treatise on bees, before the invention 

 of glass hives, was obliged to tear hives to pieces in making his investigations 1 

 When we see what important results these great geniuses obtained, with means so 

 imperfect, if compared with the facilities which the veriest tyro may now possess, 

 it ought to teach us a becoming lesson of humility. 



The sentiments of the following extract from Swammerdam, ought to be 

 engraven upon the hearts of all engaged in investigating the works of God : " 1 

 would not have any one think that I say this from a love of fault-finding " he had 

 been criticising some incorrect drawings and descriptions " my sole design is to 

 have the true face and disposition of Nature exposed to sight. I wish others may 

 pass the like censure, when due, on my works ; for I doubt not that I have made 

 many mistakes, although I can, from the heart, say, that I have not, in this treatise 

 designed to mislead. * * * The desire of writing is so prevalent, that men publish 

 books filled only with the fancies of their brain, and thus misrepresent God and 

 his works. God forbid that I should ever do this. Truth, and a religious scrupu- 

 lousness of mind, ought everywhere to prevail in describing natural things ; for 

 they are the Bibles of the divine miracles. If he who writes aims to deceive him- 

 self and others, let him know that in due time all things will be revealed." 



