THE HOKET-BEE. 39 



The bee goes to the bottom of the cell, deposits a 

 particle of honey, and brushes it into the corners or 

 angles with its tongue, carefully excluding all the air. 

 As it is filled, that nearest the sides of the cells is kept 

 in advance of the center. This is just as a philosopher 

 would say it should be done. If the cell were filled at 

 once, without attaching the honey to the sides, the external 

 air would not keep it in place, as it now does efEectually, 

 when the cell is of ordinary length. When the cell is 

 about one-fourth of an inch deep, bees often commence 

 filling it, and as it is lengthened, they continue to add 

 honey, keeping it within an eighth of an inch of the ends. 

 It is never quite full, antil nearly sealed over, and often 

 not then. In worker cells the sealing seldom touches 

 the honey.* But in drone cells the case is different ; in 

 these, honey at the end touches the sealing about half way 

 up. It is kept in the same concave shape while being filled, 

 but being in a larger cell, the atmospheric pressure is less 

 effectual in keeping it in its place ; consequently, when 

 they commence sealing these cells, they begin on the 

 lower side, and finish at the top. 



PROPOLIS AND ITS USE. 



Propolis is doubtless the gum or resinous coating 

 which protects the buds of many kinds of trees. 



It may be found in many species of Populus, particu- 

 larly the Balsam Poplar, (^Populus halsamifera), and the 

 variety (candicans), known as the Balm of Grilead. I 

 have seen the bees collecting it, and have frequently seeij 

 them enter the hive with what appeared to be the pun 

 article on their legs, resembling pollen, except that th« 

 surface is smooth and glossy. It is of a much lighter color 

 when new, than it is after it gets a little age. I have 

 seen bees when they appeared unable to dislodge the pro- 



• This is true onl^ of the native be«a. 



