PKOPOLia. 131 



piece obtained is immediately applied to their '.vork, 

 and the bee is ready to supply another with a portion ; 

 it doubtless gets rid of its load in this way ; it is diifi- 

 cult to watch it till it is freed from the whole, as it is 

 soon lost among its fellows. Now if this substance is 

 not found in its natural state, how does it happen that 

 they pack it on their legs just as they do when getting 

 it from a board of an old hive, or pollen, when col- 

 lected ? they never take the trouble to pack the wax 

 there, when elaborated. Do not these circumstances 

 strongly favor the idea of its being a vegetable sub- 

 stance ? Perhaps the reason of its being collected at 

 this season in greater abundance, may be found in the 

 fact, that the buds of trees and shrubs are now gener- 

 ally formed. Many kinds are protected from rain and 

 frost, by a kind of gum or resinous coating. It may 

 be found in many species of Populus, particularly the 

 balsam poplar, {Populus Balsamiferd) . and the Balm 

 of. Gilead, {Populus Candicans). By boiling the buds 

 of these trees, an aromatic resin or gum may be ob- 

 tained, (used sometimes for making salve ;) the odor 

 is very similar to that emitted by propolis, when first 

 ^thered by t^=e bees, or by heating it afterwards. In 

 the absence of facts, we are apt to substitute theory. 

 This appears to me to be very plausible. Yet I am 

 ready to yield it as soon as facts decide differently. 

 Perhaps not one bee in a thousand is engaged in col- 

 lecting this substance — there being so few may be one 

 reason why they are not often detected, yet few as 

 they are, if a few of us should set about close obser- 

 vation, . something certain might decide. Apiarian 



