•98 AUSTRALASIAN 



dinally its contents will, as a rule, be found of many colours, stratified, 

 the strata of varied thickness standing on edge, as if the bees, instead 

 of storing bread had stored pancakes. 



ARTIFICIAL POLLEN. 



In cold climates, to induce brood-rearing in early springj 

 before there is a supply of natural pollen, recourse is had to a 

 substitute. Artificial pollen, as the substitute is termed, gene- 

 rally consists either of pea-flour, wheaten flour, rye-flour, or a 

 mixture of finely ground oats and wheat. This is placed in a 

 sheltered position in the apiary, with short straws or shavings 

 mixed with it, for the bees to alight upon, and a little honey 

 or syrup near to attract the bees and get them started, when 

 there will be no further trouble, save the replenishing the 

 material, if required. This is unnecessary in most, if not all, 

 parts of New Zealand and Australia, where bees can work 

 freely all through the winter, and gather abundance of pollen 

 all the year round. 



PROPOLIS. 



This is a substance used by the bees for glueing things to- 

 gether, and for stopping up all crevices in their hives. In order 

 to make it they gather the resinous matter which exudes from 

 some trees ; or when this is scarce, they will take varnish, or 

 even tar, whenever they can find it. They carry this substance 

 home in their pollen baskets, and use it, mixed with wax, 

 wherever they want to fasten any loose parts, or to fill up 

 joints to exclude enemies or air. They make a very liberal 

 use of it at the end of the honey season. It is also used for 

 other purposes by them, as the following anecdote will testify: — 



" A snail having crept into one of M. Reaumer's hives early one 

 morning, after crawling about for some time, adhered, by means of its 

 own slime, to one of the glass panes. The bees having discovered the 

 snail, surrounded it, and formed a border of propolis round the verge 

 of its shell, and fastened it so securely to the glass that it became 

 immovable. " — Bevtm. 



I have seen the same thing occur at the Thames, when trans- 

 ferring bees from an old box to a bar frame hive. 



