100 BEE-FARMING. 



separated the folds of the large buds with their forceps, 

 extended the varnish in threads, and loaded first one thigh 

 and then the other, for they convey it like pollen, trans- 

 ferring it from the first pair of legs to the second, by 

 vv^hich it is lodged in the hollow of the third." 



This cement, gathered like pollen from many sources, 

 is called " propolis ; " it is a very hard substance, at least 

 it hardens soon after it is employed by the bees. I have 

 seen perforated zinc used at the top of the hive for 

 feeding, &c. when uncovered for a few days become 

 coated over with propolis, so hard and tough that it is 

 necessary to employ a sharp knife to detach it from the 

 zinc plate. It is principally the gummy exudation of 

 trees, from leaf-buds and bark ; sometimes when doors 

 are newly varnished bees will eagerly scrape off the 

 varnish to use as propolis, and they have been known to 

 gather the pitch from boats and vessels as they are floating 

 up canals. A friend of mine who keeps an apiary on the 

 banks of a canal was at first puzzled to account for his 

 bees working about the masts and ropes of the barges 

 that were going to and fro, and returning laden with a 

 brownish substance on their legs, which he thought for a 

 long time was pollen; in this case it was a mixture in 

 which pitch mingled largely. In the summer of 1868 I 

 was preparing a jar of Venice turpentine. After melting 

 the resin and mingling with it the turpentine, I un- 

 thinkingly left it exposed in my garden walk. Whilst 

 very hot it emits a strong odour, which may be detected 

 at a long distance ; this attracted my poor bees, who, no 

 doubt, thinking they were about to gather rich spoils of 

 propolis, alighted on the surface and were as quickly killed. 

 The slaughter was very great; I found not less than 1500 

 bees destroyed. The jar was filled to the brim with dead 

 and dying bees. 



The hollj/hock buds yield a supply of propolis, which 



