104 THE APIARY; OE, 



" Such was the spell which, roimd a Wildman's arm. 

 Twined in dark wreaths the fascinated swarm ; 

 Bright o'er his breast the glittering legions led. 

 Or with a living garland bound his head. 

 His dextrous hand, with firm yet hurtless hold. 

 Could seize the chief, known by her scales of gold. 

 Prune, 'mid the wondering train, her filmy wing, 

 Or o'er her folds the silken fetter fling." 



To recur to our subject. After the days of Wildman, our own 

 establishment in Holborn became widely known for bee hives and 

 honey. Although we never attempted to start a London apiary 

 at all approaching in extent that of our predecessor, we have 

 occasionally kept bees on the house top both in Holborn and 

 Eegent Street. At both those situations, we have noticed that the 

 bees bring " poUen" as well as honey into their hives. Last summer 

 there was brought under our notice an illustration of the acuteness 

 of the scent of bees, and of their diligent search for food, proving 

 too that if sweets can be obtained even from unusual sources, the 

 bees will find them out. A poor woman who, at the corner of an 

 adjacent street vends "brandy balls," "toffee," "rock," and other 

 saccharine compounds — all well known to and appreciated by most 

 juveniles, — used to receive frequent visits from our bees. Their, 

 visits to the old dame's domain were at first rather interesting, and 

 if the few pioneers who had the sagacity to find such a store had 

 kept the secret only to themselves, their company would not have 

 been objected to. Such selfish policy does not, however, accord 

 with the social instinct of bees, and these soon informed their 

 companions of the good fortune provided for them in an archipelago 

 of sugar islands. Day by day the swarms of these uninvited visitors 

 increased, until all legitimate customers were beaten off; and the 

 old dame had to see, not only her hope of gain destroyed, but her 

 stock of "goodies" sensibly diminishing by the thefts of these 

 brigands of the air. She could not, or dare not attempt to, drive 

 the intruders away, so made diligent enquiry as to where the 

 robbers were harboured. Having traced them to our establishment 

 in Eegent Street, she came to implore of us to move the bees if 

 possible, or she would have to move her stall, and so lose her 

 " connection " in the " toffee " and " rock " trade. Wishing not 

 to hinder the poor woman in gaining her livelihood, we decided on 

 removing our bees into the country. 



