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KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



like ourselves, must of course take the conse- 

 quences There is but one law in these matters, 

 and woe be to him who transgresses it ! 



" We cannot but imagine that the * three 

 notable individuals' who unwisely provoked 

 this controversy, and who so ostentatiously 

 glorified each other in the belief that ' all 

 knowledge centred in themselves alone,' 

 are, ere now, satisfied of their ■ mistake.' 

 At all events, the public are gainers by 

 their vanity ; and so far, so good." 



HUMANITY TO HONEY BEES. 



( Continued from page 70, Vol. II) 



What various wonders may observers see 



In a small insect— the sagacious bee ! 



Mark how the little untaught builders square 



Their rooms, and in the dark their lodgings rear. 



Nature's mechanics, they unwearied strive, 



And fill with curious labyrinths the hive. 



See what bright strokes of architecture shine 



Through the whole frame— what beauty, what design ! 



Each odoriferous cell and waxen tower — 



The yellow pillage of the rifled flower — 



Has twice three sides, the only figure fit 



To which the laborers may their stores commit, 



Without the loss of matter or of room, 



In all the wondrous structures of the comb. 



We are living in an age of discovery— an 

 age in which new principles are fast taking 

 the place of the old. Improvements in 

 science and art are daily bursting in upon 

 us from all quarters of the habitable globe ; 

 and we can see no good reason why the de- 

 structive and cruel system of bee-murder 

 should not be superseded by one of humanity, 

 when we can advance so much in £. s. d. in 

 its favor, to say nothing of the increased in- 

 terest which must of necessity follow in 

 preserving the lives of those — 



Who've spent their summer hours, 



Whate'er their heat, 



That man might eat 



The honey from their flowers. 



The management of bees in the bee-hive 

 we now recommend, is so simple and safe, 

 as well as pleasing to the eye of the obser- 

 ver, that it is almost superfluous to offer any 

 remarks respecting the treatment of bees in 

 them ; but whatever kind of hive is selected, 

 it should be stocked with an early swarm, 

 which can be procured of any cottage bee- 

 keeper for about ten shillings. Particular 

 care must be taken that the hive is clean and 

 dry ; let no sticks be put in the inside of 

 the hive for the bees to build their combs 

 on, they are very troublesome to them — 



Who at the roof begin their golden work, 

 And build without foundation. 



We will now suppose a fine swarm to be 

 safely lodged within the hive, which we 

 will call the " Pavilion of Nature," and in 

 which the queen deposits her eggs ; the 



young are brought forth in about twenty- 

 one days from the time of swarming, but the 

 development proceeds more slowly in un- 

 favorable, cold seasons. This Pavilion of 

 Nature must never be disturbed, except to 

 clean the floor-board in the autumn and 

 spring. As soon as the thermometer stands 

 at 80 degrees (for all hives should be pro- 

 vided with a thermometer), a glass or other 

 surplus hive may be given them on the top 

 of the pavilion, which should be prepared 

 with a piece of clean comb, melted by the 

 fire or over a candle, just sufficient to make 

 small particles adhere to the glass when 

 pressed against it — thus laying the foundation 

 for a structure of new combs ; this will be 

 found of great assistance to the bees, and 

 will prevent any irregularity in their con- 

 struction. A woollen case should be made 

 for the glass hive, and put over to exclude 

 the light and keep them warm until the bees 

 have commenced building combs ; when, if 

 the thermometer in the pavilion reaches 90 

 deg., a cover of a thinner texture will better 

 answer the purpose. The glass hives manu 

 factured by Apsley Pellatt and Co., of Lon- 

 don, are admirably adapted for the purpose, 

 they being made with a hole in the top for 

 ventilation, over which must be fixed a piece 

 of gauze — thus the hot air will escape, and 

 keep the hive at a proper temperature ; for 

 bees will not work well while they are kept 

 too hot. 



Should summer signs auspicious ride, 

 And tubes unfailing pour the balmy tide, 

 A full rich harvest, bee-herds, may ye claim 

 From the blythe tenants of your crystalled frame. 

 But long ere Virgo weaves the robe of sleet, 

 Or binds the hoar-frost sandals round her feet, 

 Close sealed and sacred leave your toil-worn hosts, 

 The last kind dole their waning season boasts ; 

 Lest, cooped within their walls, the tenants prey 

 On hoards reserved to cheer stern winter's day. 



Glass surplus hives should be worked on 

 the top of the Pavilion of Nature, after being 

 prepared as above ; for if they are given 

 without preparation, the bees will commence 

 building their combs upwards, which being 

 unnatural to them, is a great waste of time, 

 and must be carefully avoided in the working 

 season, which in this country is of short 

 duration. It is to the interest of the apiarian 

 to assist his bees as much as he can — have 

 everything in readiness — never have to look 

 for anything just at the time it is wanted. 

 All surplus hives should be kept in order ; 

 and when the bees are in full work, particular 

 care must be taken to keep every part of 

 glass covered, so as effectually to exclude 

 every particle of light, which is very annoy- 

 ing to the bees, and checks their progress ; 

 and, in order to prevent the necessity of 

 swarming, let ventilation receive due share 

 of attention, for it is — 



