54 SOURCES OF HONET. 



to an eiglath of an inch in length ; on this stem was 

 a ghitinous matter, that firmly adhered to each foot 

 or claw of the bee, preventing it from climbing the sides 

 of the hive. He also found this appendage attached to bees 

 clustered outside of full hives, but it appeared to be no 

 mconvenience to them. Among the scales of wax, and 

 waste matter that accumulate about the swarms to some 

 extent, he found a great many of these scales, which the 

 bees had worked from their feet. The question then 

 arose, were these scales a foreign substance, accidently en- 

 tangled in their claws, or was it a natural formation ? It 

 was soon decided. From the number of bees carrying it, 

 he concluded that if it were the product of any flower, 

 it belonged to a species somewhat abundant. On making 

 a close examination of all such as were in bloom, he found 

 the flowers of the Milk-weed or Silk-weed, sometimes 

 holding a dead bee by the foot, secured by this appendage. 

 The flower has a most singular structure, which could 

 only be explained by means of elaborate magnified en- 

 gravings ; suffice it to say that the appendage which 

 causes so much trouble to the bees, is the pollen of 

 the Silk-weed, which in all the species has a singular 

 form. Instead of being, as is the case in most flowers, a 

 fine dust, the pollen grains are stuck together in little 

 waxy masses or scales, and these are joined in pairs by the 

 thread-like appendage above noticed. These masses are, 

 in the flower, each lodged in a little pouch with only the 

 attachment exposed, and in such a position that the bee, 

 in moving about over the flower, can hardly fail to touch 

 one of them with its foot and pull it out. Were it not 

 for the agency of bees and other insects, the pollen would 

 not be dislodged from these pouches and brought in con- 

 tact with the pistil of the flower. Other species of 

 Asclepias besides the one mentioned have a similar struc- 

 ture, and no doubt aid in the mischief. When I point 

 out a loss among bees, I would like to give a remedy. 



