November 1, 1S64. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTTTEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



363 



only alternative now was to " kill or cure." As its frvnies 

 rose slowly to the hollow, there was a terrible commotion 

 among the bees, and in a few minutes some dozen or two fell 

 suffocated on the brirustoned paper. I feared for the queen, 

 wondering whether she would have time to free herself from 

 the embraces of her loyal subjects before her doom was 

 sealed. The outside of the tree was now covered with bees 

 running about, many of them feebly, in a state of wild ex- 

 citement. I had only to wait a couple of minutes to see a 

 cluster forming on a blackthorn tree not ten yards distant — 

 the queen was there, and in ten minutes the swarm was 

 safely hived. I took it home in triumph an hour or two 

 after sunset, for I never, if I can help it, move a newly-hived 

 swarm to its final destination before that time. It is now a 

 first-rate stock, full of bees and honey. I have no doubt 

 whatever, both from the line of flight and the evidence already 

 noticed, that the bees were instinctively moving to a pre- 

 viously selected habitation ; and I have as little doubt that 

 the swarming of the first colony from the hive in spring is 

 nothing but a general muster, that all the emigrants may 

 take wing together under the direction of experienced guides 

 to a home of which they have already received ample in- 

 formation. This is merely a fact corroborative of a long 

 broached idea, and illustrative of one of the wonders of 

 animal instinct. Here is another analogous fact, which I 

 relate, because it supplies the only missing link in the chain 

 of my deductions. I can vouch for it by personal inquiry 

 and inspection. A swarm of bees, belonging to a cottager 

 living in a village about three miles from hence, made 

 directly for a small crevice between the arch and woodwork 

 of one of the windows of a house in the same village. That 

 they did not alight there by mere accident is evident from 

 the circumstance that a number of bees were observed recon- 

 noitering that very crevice, which seems to communicate 

 with the ceiling joists above, two or three hours before the 

 arrival of the swarm. 



Fourthly. With respect to ventilation, a subject the 

 rationale of which every bee-keeper ought to understand, 

 and one as important for the sanitary condition of the hive 

 as for that of the cottage, I have adopted the following ex- 

 pedient for frustrating the invariable effort of the bees to 

 stop up with propolis, the smaller perforations of the zinc 

 plate usually employed to admit air and exclude insects. I 

 cover the opening for ventilation with two zinc plates of 

 different size perforations. The inside piece has holes of a 

 size just sufficient to pi-event a bee from passing through, 

 and is placed a quarter of an inch or so in front of the other, 

 which is perforated more finely. This requires the removal 

 of the glutinous barricade much less frequently than would 

 be the case were there no intervening piece between the 

 bees and the smaller perforations. With respect to the 

 system of ventilation adopted by the bees themselves, by 

 which a certain degree of noxious air is removed by the 

 fanners stationed at the mouth cf the hive, there is, I con- 

 ceive a much deeper philosoiDhy connected with this develop- 

 ment of instinct than a casual observer would suppose. Is 

 there no appreciation here of the chemical doctrine of 

 "gaseous diffusion," by which gases of different densities 

 intermingle, even when the denser is the lower ? The move- 

 ment of the living fans imparts momentum and directive 

 force to atoms of air already in a state of natural commotion. 

 The instinct of the bee has from the beginning laid hold of 

 a chemical law which natural science only discovered in the 

 last generation. "Magna opera Jehovm exposita omnibv.s qy.i 

 delectantur illis." 



I had intended to cite some curious illustrations of apiarian 

 observation and experience which my recent correspondence 

 has most amusingly and instinctively brought to light, but 

 I have already occupied your space too fully. I must reserve 

 this until I have something to say about the " Ligurian 

 bees," which I have just introduced into my apiary, and 

 conclude with two or three observations about bee-flowers 

 and honey. In early spring the great requirement is pollen, 

 and the indication of a populous and prosperous hive is 

 afforded by the eagerness with which it is sought. Bees 

 revel among willows, and in a bed of osiers they find an 

 ample storehouse of spring provision. Of course they 

 ransack the nectaries of all early flowers, and the leaves of 

 the lam-el and the ivy also afford them very grateful supplies. 

 Those of the former are punctured in the very early spring 



I by a solitary aphis, and if closely examined will be found to 

 ■ contain an exudation of a transparent gummy character, 

 i viscous and saccharine. The puncture is generally found on 

 ' the under side of the leaf, in the cuticle, about an inch from 

 I the petiole or footstalk. It requires very close examination 

 ! to discover it, although I have occasionally seen its honey 

 .' drop the size of a No. 4 shot. I have no doubt it is excretory. 

 But I must not forget to mention one flower, an early sum- 

 mer one, which from the extraordinary fondness bees evince 

 for it, we call here, by way of pre-eminence, the " bee-flower." 

 It is a salvia (8. nemorosa), and for gardens large enough 

 for massing different colours is really no mean acquisition. 

 The leaves are glaucous, and the flowers a deep lavender. 

 It flowers early in June and continues all the summer. I 

 will send you a dozen roots with pleasure. I must not say 

 all that I thought of doing respecting the nature and origin 

 of some of the materials from which honey is elaborated. 

 Chemistry can change old rags into sugar, which would be 

 none the less palatable because of its origin, were it not 

 that fancy sometimes affects the taste. 



Let lis think, then, of "busy bees" only in connection 

 with sweet spring flowers and sweeter honey, and not allow 

 science to vitiate our taste. "Where ignorance is bliss 'tis 

 folly to be wise." — William Law, Marston Trussell Rectory, 

 Theddingworih, Rugby. 



EECOLLECTIOKS OP AN OLD FANCLEK. 



No. 4. — Tkadesmen Fanciees. 



I eeadilt, gladly, even proudly, own to have a great 

 liking for the sons of trade. I like them whether they 

 belong to High Street, or Back Lane. I know them well, 

 and have been fellow-workman with them in carrying out 

 many a literary scheme. I have found, especially among 

 the younger men, a thirst for knowledge, and. sometimes an 

 extent of reading which would surprise many who have never 

 come mind to mind in contact with them, and still more 

 surprising when one considers the very few hours a- week 

 they are able to devote to literature. Much kindness ex- 

 tending over many years have I received from tradesmen ; 

 and when I hear fine ladies and gentlemen complain of 

 having met with incivility from behind a counter, I have 

 thought, almost said, " Have you, sir, been quite the gen- 

 tleman, or you, madam, quite the lady to those of whom 

 you complain? Have you been civil, or only haughty? 

 Have you felt there was the same blood in the one that 

 handed you an article of dress, or showed you a book, as in 

 yourself — that they were your fellow creatures and fellow 

 Christians ? Have you been kind, and spoken in a tone of 

 voice which showed you respected the feelings of others ? 

 If you cannot say on your conscience that you have done all . 

 this, need you wonder as to what you have met with, taking 

 poor human nature as it is ?" 



Now, the industrious tradesman, who looks well after his 

 business, has naturally a very stationary position ; he must 

 be a keeper at home, he cannot leave his duties ; in plainer 

 words, he must " stick to the shop." But such a man so 

 situated, needs above all men, a hobby, yea, I am sure all 

 men need one ; a little outlet to certain feelings almost in- 

 describable, something which is to the man what a toy is 

 to a child. " We should cultivate the pleasure gardens of 

 our minds as well as the corn fields," said Archbishop 

 Whately. Wise, beautiful words ! The man who has no 

 innocent hobby is apt to make vice his hobby. 



But, in regard to tradesmen, they must not have a hobby 

 which, by taking them from home, removes them from 

 positive duties — which, in fact, would interfere with their 

 providing for thefr families. Thus horses are always dan- 

 gerous if made a hobby of. Oh! the many "horsey" 

 tradesmen that I have known come to ruin. Horses lead to 

 hunting, then hunting to absence from home. Even a pro- 

 fessional man is sometimes injured in this way. I knew a 

 surgeon who soothed his conscience as to hunting by saying 

 of the master of the pack, " If Lord So-and-so should have a 

 fall and break his collar bone, it would be the making of 

 me." However, my lord never fell and broke a bone, but 

 the doctor's patients fell off instead, calling in another 

 surgeon during his absence. 



Worse than hunting, far worse (and I wish to say ever a 

 word to do good as well as to amuse or instruct), is racing, as 



