106 miner's AMERICAN 



Stance used in comb building, is wax in its purity ; and 

 this original wax is much superior to ordinary bees-wax, 

 for the purposes for which this latter substance is used. 

 Combs, when first built, will melt down to pure wax, 

 without any waste from impure substances, and it is 

 much whiter and better in every respect, than ordinary 

 wax sold in the market. 



BEES, WHEN SWARMING, GO LADEN WITH HONEY. 



When a swarm of bees issue from a hive, it is a well- 

 known fact, that they carry with them as much honey 

 as their honey vesicles or bags will contain. I have 

 often known the boxes in the chambers of my hives to 

 be emptied of their contents, during the night previous 

 to the issuing of swarms from the same hives. When 

 this circumstance is noticed in the morning, viz : the 

 emptying of the cells of the supers or boxes in the cham- 

 bers suddenly, it is a sure sign that a swarm will go off 

 on that day, if the weather continues favorable ; yet it 

 is not an easy matter to make such a discovery, since 

 the bees remain closely packed in the chambers, up to 

 the very moment of sallying forth. 



The object of the bees in thus going forth laden with 

 honey is, to have wherewith to sustain life for several 

 days, and thus be prepared to withstand any unfavorable 

 change of weather that might intervene before a supply 

 of provisions could be secured. Like the traveller who 

 starts on a journey across some desert waste, not only 

 taking provisions for the journey, but also taking a sup- 

 ply to provide against any reasonable contingency that 



