June, 1907 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



227 



16 — The Bee Farm Is a Place of Endless Activity and Great Interest 



spot, for I constantly replenished the store of honey. All 

 these bees were from the same hive, in which some signal 

 must have been given, for suddenly thousands of bees issued 

 from the hive and darted toward the scene of the experiment. 

 Finding the honey exhausted, they flew about in all directions, 

 making with their wings the peculiar sound that indicates 

 anger, and I barely succeeded in escaping their stings. 



This final result was lacking when the experiment was re- 

 peated with syrup instead of honey. What, then, had oc- 

 curred in the case where honey was used? Evidently this: 

 The workers in the hive, seeing honey brought in for a con- 

 siderable length of time, must have reflected that, in the 

 course of nature, honey is found only in bee hives. Hence 

 there must be a hive to rob. Therefore war must be de- 

 clared and a large force must be sent promptly to destroy 

 the weak hive and capture its store. So the bees rushed 



en masse to the scene of pillage, guided by the marked bees 

 which alone knew the way, and which I saw arrive in ad- 

 vance of the rest. Finding neither hive nor honey, the dis- 

 appointed marauders, ready for combat, gave way to excite- 

 ment. Half an hour later order was completely restored. 



This experiment, which is susceptible of various modifi- 

 cations, shows clearly that the workers have some means of 

 communicating information and of directing each other to 

 places where useful substances are to be found. It proves, 

 also, that the united workers of a hive are able to make 

 a sudden decision and act as a body when circumstances de- 

 mand such action. 



It appears, therefore, that the power to direct the daily 

 work and to form resolutions in unforeseen circumstances re- 

 sides in the entire community. There is universal participa- 

 tion in government, a marvelous organization of anarchy. 



