256 PKOPOLis. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



PEOPOLIS. 



i The origin of propolis is a subject upon which apiarians 

 fail to agree. It is asserted by some that, when the bees 

 need it, they always have it, and therefore they contend 

 that it is elaborated like wax ; while others believe it to 

 be a resinous gum, exuding from certain trees, and col- 

 lected by the bees, in the same manner as pollen. 



now OBTAINED. 



Huber tells us that, " near the outlet of one of his hives 

 he placed some of the branches of the poplar, which exudes 

 a transparent garnet-colored juice. Several woi'kers were 

 soon seen perched upon these branches ; having detached 

 some of this resinous gum, they formed it into pellets, and 

 deposited them in the baskets of their thighs ; thus loaded, 

 they flew to the hive, where some of their fellow-laborers 

 instantly came to assist them in detaching this viscid sub- 

 stance from their baskets." 



I am convinced that it is a natural secretion of some 

 kinds of trees, as I have seen the bees collecting it, and 

 have frequently seen them enter the hive with what ap- 

 peared to be the pure article on their legs, resembling pol- 

 len, except that the surface is smooth and glossy. It is of 

 much lighter color when new, than it is after it gets a 

 little age. 



HOW DISCHAnOBD. 



I have also seen bees through the glass, when they 

 seemed unable to dislodge it themselves, and were contin- 

 ually running around among those engaged in soldering 



