REVIEWS. 
405 
principally of silica, oxide of iron, felspar, pyroxene, alumina, and lime ? ” 
It is scarcely conceivable that a writer on geology should have so little 
knowledge of the composition of a common rock, like basalt, as to mix up 
the mineralogical and chemical constituents in this ridiculous way. But 
while we are unable to recommend the work as a safe guide to the student, 
we admit that some parts are pleasantly written, and may be read with 
interest by anyone who requires only a superficial view of geology. It 
should be noted that the work is provided, as we are told in large letters on 
the title-page, with “ an addenda ! ” 
BEE-KEEPING.* 
A LTHOUGH we cannot pretend to an acquaintance with all the published 
manuals of Bee-culture, whose name is legion, our acquaintance with 
apiarian literature is sufficient to enable us to form a pretty good j udgment of 
the merits of Mr. John Hunter’s little “ Manual,” a third greatly improved 
edition of which has just been published. Mr. Hunter gives a brief sketch 
of the natural history of the Hive Bee, in which, without going very pro- 
foundly into the matter, he furnishes his intended readers, the practical 
apiarians, with just that amount of information which will enable them to 
understand the management of their hives and take an intelligent interest in 
the doings of the little inhabitants. He especially expounds in a very clear 
and easily intelligible fashion the modern theory of the reproduction of Bees, 
founded by Berlepsch and Siebold upon their own researches and those of 
Dzierzon. 
Bee-keeping has made rapid advances during the last few years both in 
Europe and America, and the inventive genius of our cousins on the other 
side of the Atlantic has been greatly exercised in the construction of nu- 
merous ingenious appliances for the better management of the Bees, includ- 
ing the observation of their doings, and for facilitating the winning of a 
harvest of pure honey without having recourse to the old barbarous process 
of destroying the industrious insects which produced it. Of the success of 
these devices we have abundant proof in the quantities of honey and clean 
honeycomb which have been of late years imported from the United States ; 
and one of Mr. Hunter’s objects in preparing his little book is to transfer some 
portion at any rate of the profits of the honey market to the pockets of his own 
countrymen. With this view he describes very clearly the best methods of 
managing Bees, and devotes very considerable space to the consideration of 
various forms of hives, in which we are glad to see that he regards simplicity 
of arrangement as one of the most desirable characteristics, considering that 
many of the supposed improvements which have been lately introduced, are 
chiefly adapted 11 to increase expense, and confuse the unfortunate tyro in 
Bee-keeping.” In other chapters the actual management of the insects with 
the view of securing the greatest amount of profit from their labours is very 
fully and lucidly explained ; and of all the “ Bee-books ” that we have seen, 
* “ A Manual of Bee-Keeping.” By John Hunter. Third edition. Sm. 
8vo. London : D. Bogue. 1879. 
