PASTURAGE FOR BEES. 197 



glue the shell to the glass, and there sealed down the 

 intruder in hopeless durance. In another case, that of 

 a slug, or snail without a shell, the bees, having slain it 

 with their stings, were quite unable to renjove it from 

 the hive. With wonderful foresight, they then proceeded 

 to secure their community from the noxious effects likely 

 to arise from the decay of the carcase ; and this they did 

 by completely enveloping it with a coating of imper- 

 vious varnish. Huish relates a similar occurrence in 

 the case of a mouse caught in a hive by bees. Propolis 

 yields benzoic acid, and contains some aromatic pro- 

 perties. 



PASTURAGE FOR BEES. 



" Bees work for man ; and yet they never bruise 

 Their master's flower, but leave it, having done. 

 As fair as ever, and as fit for use." 



Apiarians generally agree in the opinion that very 

 little can be done in the way of providing any special 

 forage for bees. Yet bee-fanciers are always interested 

 in observing which are the flowers that the bees prefer ; 

 and there are certain well-established conclusions as to 

 the kind of district and seasons which are the likeliest 

 to produce a good honey-harvest. There is an old say- 

 ing, that a country which produces the finest wool also 

 yields the best honey ; and a pastoral district is decidedly 

 ietter than one under tillage. The principle of the 



