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BEE-FARMING. 



Linum perenne 

 Mellanthus major 

 Lavatera trimestris (poUen) 



„ thuringiaca (pollen) 

 Kitaibelia vitifolia (also pollen) 

 Kblreuterla paniculata 

 Reseda odorata 

 Hesperis matronalis 



Bunias orientalls 

 Macleya cordata (pollen) 

 Delphinium Ajacis 



„ grandiflorum 



Nigella sativa 



jj damascena 



„ hispanica 



Dr. Miinter makes one more period — namely, from 

 the middle of September till October, and includes the 

 colchicums as well as some of the foregoing plants, — so 

 much depends upon the weather after the beginning of 

 September as to what bees will do. 



POLLEN, OR BEE-BREAD. 



Many erroneous notions prevail amongst bee-keepers 

 respecting pollen. If you watch the entrance to the hive 

 about noon on a very warm day in summer, you will per- 

 ceive, if the hive is prosperous and possesses a fertile 

 queen, many of the worker bees carrying in a quantity of 

 yellow, brown, or reddish substance on their legs (in fact 

 they are so heavily laden that they can scarcely fly) — this 

 is often, though erroneously, supposed to be materials for 

 making the wax. Walk round the garden border, and 

 perhaps on one of the beds you will find some showy 

 white lillies ; upon examining the centre of the flower 

 you will see a few yellowish-looking heads or knobs, sup- 

 ported on long stalks, these are what botanists call the 

 stamens ; the heads, which are filled with yellow powder, 

 are known by the name of anthers ; the stalks are the 

 filaments, and the powder itself is pollen, or the fertilizing 

 agent in plants. The anthers when ripe split up the 

 sides, then the pollen grains fall upon the viscid or gluey 

 stalk which you see exactly in the centre of the flower. 



