1883 



JUVENILE GLEANINGS. 



281 



back-logs, she brought chips and shavings, and be- 

 gan to kindle a fire. God touched this with the 

 finger of love, and It soon became a bright and shin- 

 ing light in this dark world. 



I must say something abc)ut our bees, or friend 

 Root will think that another bee is after something 

 else besides honey. I want to tell him that 1 like 

 both bees and honey, although I do not work very 

 much with them. When I go about bees they al- 

 most always sting me. When they sting it swells 

 very quickly, and lasts about three days. I would 

 not care so much if I were not leader of a Sunday- 

 school. I am expected there every Sunday morn- 

 ing; and wheu I appear before my school, I desire 

 my face to look natural. 



Last summer my husband sent for two nuclei, 

 which increased to nine during the summer. In 

 the fall we bought five more strong colonies of pure 

 Italians. Packed for ourselves 13, and 2 for a neigh- 

 bor. During the winter, Mr. Lindley noticed that 

 they were dying. He moved them up stairs into 

 dark rooms, but still they kept dying, until there 

 were only three left out of the 15. We think the 

 reason of their djicg was because they had too 

 much pollen in their hives, and when very cold they 

 ate that instead of honey, which caused them to 

 have the dysentery. As we are beginners, we did 

 not learn this until too late. 



Mrs. Nettie Lindley. 



Jordan, Jay Co., Ind., April, 1883. 



OBSERVING-HIVES. 



SOME HINTS IN REGARD TO STARTING AND CARING 

 FOR THEM. 



is||HE observing- hives ate fitted to a window of 

 the room in such a way that the bees can pass 

 out and in through an opening under the 

 sash, and yet have no access to the room itself 

 where the observer sits. It is a complete hive, 

 though a small one. The operations are the same 

 that take place in a full hive, and the advantage is 

 that you can see it all taking place. It will not do to 

 winter in, and must be started in spring or summer, 

 and discontinued when bees go into winter quarters. 

 It does not furnish surplus honey, but will raise 

 good queens like any nucleus, and will swarm if too 

 full, or if destitute of stores. Before your eyes, and 

 almost under your very fingers, these remarkable 

 processes go on. When some one produces a suitable 

 microscope for the purpose, some of you children 

 will make important discoveries. I have sometimes, 

 with a magnlfying-glass, interviewed the guardians 

 of a royal cell; they look sober and grand, their 

 faces like the faces of elephants. My note-books 

 contain accounts of many strange things that I have 

 seen the bees do when nobody was touching them, 

 and they, perhaps, were not aware that — 



" A chiel's amang j-e, takin' notes; 

 An' taith, he'll prent it." 



I have seen them do S'-me queer things that the 

 hooks say they never do. By and by we may all be- 

 come wise enough to leave off saying, " It is never so 

 done," and say, instead, "I have never seen it." 



If, therefore, any boy or girl bee-keeper, or would- 

 be bee-keepe", helping about the preparation for 

 the campaign of 1883, can secure a few pieces of 

 board and panes of glass, and when the hives are 

 coming into shape, can build, or cause to be built, an 

 observing-hive; then when the bees start out in 

 spring, some forlorn queen with a cupful of workers 



may be rescued from impending ruin, taken in, 

 housed, warmed, and fed, and in a few weeks built 

 up into a flourishing and profitable colony. Or when 

 a strong hive has swarmed, a frame maybe taken 

 from it with sealed queen-cells, and a few bees and 

 brood, an! the developments will be surprising, 

 though we know beforehand pretty nearly what 

 they will be. This is the best way for boys and girls 

 to begin. 



Mr. Root has given us a fine picture of an observ- 

 ing-hive, such as I used for several years. There 

 are also other styles that I have found better. No 

 doubt he can supply any demand that may arise for 

 apparatus or instruction in this fascinating depart- 

 ment of apiculture. D. F. Savage. 



Medina, Dec. 7, 1882. ' 



THE APIS. 



A BOY'S DESCRIPTION OF IT. 



J«^npJ;HE apis is one of the most instinctive little ani- 



fjl mals that nature affords. It is found in almost 

 all parts of the world; but in a wild state, 

 chiefly in the temperate and the tropical zones. 



In its wild state, the apis lives in caves and hollow 

 trees, like the bear. It is not quite so large as the 

 bear, hence it does not require so large a place to 

 dwell in. 



The apis is very easily domesticated when proper- 

 ly managed by those who understand it; but when 

 in the hands of those who know nothing of its wants 

 and its habits, it is one of the most difiBcult animals 

 to tame. One great item in manipulating the apis 

 is to "handle with care." Those who handle the 

 apis rudely, will, sooner or later, have to suffer for 

 it, sometimes severely. 



The apis is not very particular about the size or 

 the condition of the cage it is placed in, provided it 

 is neither too large nor too small, and does not con- 

 tain too much debris; if the receptacle is deficient 

 in any of these respects, the apis becomes dissatis- 

 fied, and sometimes takes "French leave," and at 

 other times pines away and dies. 



The size of the apis varies with the climate, sea- 

 son, management, and various temporary causes. 

 Its life is usually short, although it sometimes lives 

 quite a while, and at other times it doesn't live so 

 long — owing a good deal to the inclemency of the 

 we;ither. 



The apis is more attached to its mother than any 

 other of the inferior animals, and does not like to be 

 deprived of her presence for a single day. It does 

 not usually fancy a step-mother; but, when de- 

 prived of its own, it accepts one. and in a short time 

 will think as much of her as it did of its own mother. 



Although the apis does not possess the power of 

 articulation, it possesses a great variety of voice, al- 

 most, if not quite equal, to that of the dog- It has a 

 peculiar note to express its feelings on every occa- 

 sion, so that those who are acquainted with it can 

 tell what it is about by merely giving heed to its 

 notes. 



The apis is very industrious, and works for a live- 

 lihood, like the ant and the beaver. It feeds chiefly 

 on the pollen and nectar of plants. If it can not 

 get these it will eat almost any kind of fruit or grain 

 — if it is well pulverized. 



In general, the upis is not given to burglary when 

 it can get a good living by honest labor ; but when it 

 is out of employment it becomes a great thief, and 



