API 
bottom of each being formed by several 
circular pieces of these leaves placed imme- 
diately over each other to a sufficient thick- 
ness. The animal then deposits an egg at 
the bottom, and having left in the cell a 
sufficient quantity of a kind of honey for the 
nourishment of the young larva when hatch- 
ed, proceeds to close the top with circular 
bits of rose-leaf; and thus proceeding, 
finishes the whole series. This is usually 
done towards the close of summer ; and the 
young, having passed the period of their 
larva state, change into that of chrysalis, and 
remain the whole winter, not making their 
appearance till pretty late in the ensuing 
season. This bee is about the size of the 
common, or honey-bee, but shorter and 
broader bodied in proportion, and is of a 
dusky colour above, the lower parts being 
covered with a bright ferruginous down or 
hair. In seasons when this species happens 
to be plentiful, it does considerable injury 
to the trees which it attacks, large trunks of 
apparently healthy oaks having been found 
very materially injured by the numerous 
trains of cells distributed through them in 
different parts ; thirty, forty, or fifty tubes 
sometimes lying within a very small distance 
of each other. In defect of rose-leave's the 
cavities are qome times lined with the leaves 
of elm, &c. A species very nearly allied 
to the preceding pursues a similar plan of 
forming a continued series of cylindrical 
nests with rose or other leaves, rolling them 
in such a manner as to resemble so many 
thimbles, the top of each being closed as 
before. Instead, however, of being placed 
in the timber of trees, they are laid in hori- 
zontal trains at a certain distance beneath 
the surface of the ground. Of the villose, 
or hairy bees, popularly called humble- 
bees, one of the largest and most com- 
mon is the apis lapidaria of Linnaeus, so 
named from the circumstance of its nest 
being generally situated in strong or gravelly 
places- This species is entirely of a deep 
black colour, except the end of the abdo- 
men, which is red or orange-coloured, more 
or less deep in different individuals. The 
female is of large size, measuring near an 
inch in length ; the male is considerably 
smaller: and the neuter, or labouring bee, 
still smaller than the male. The humble- 
bees in general live in small societies of 40 
or 60 together, in an oval or roundish nest, 
excavated to a small depth beneath the sur- 
face of the ground, and formed of branches 
of moss, compacted together, and lined with 
a kind of coarse wax. In this nest, which 
API 
measures from four to six inches in diameter, 
are constructed several oval cells, which, 
however, are not the work of the complete 
insects, but are the cases spun by the larva>, 
and in which they remain during their state 
of chrysalis : the eggs are deposited among 
heaps of a kind of coarse honey or bee- 
bread, placed here and there at uncertain 
intervals ; on this substance the larvae feed 
during their growing state : lastly, in every 
nest are placed a few nearly cyliudric cells 
or goblets of coarse wax, and filled with pure 
honey, on which the complete insects feed. 
See Plate I. Entomology, fig. 4 — 6, For the 
management of bees see Bee. 
APIUM, in botany, a genus of plants, in- 
cluding parsley, sraallage, and celery. Class, 
Pentandria Digynia; natural order of Urn- 
bellatas. Essen, character, cal. generalunibel 
of fewer rays than those of the partial ; cor. 
general uniform ; floscules almost all fertile ; 
petals roundish, inflex, equal ; stam. filaments 
simple; anthers roundish; pist. germ infe- 
rior; seeds two, ovate, striated on one side, 
plane on the other. A. petrosilinum, or 
common paisley ; both the varieties are in 
use ; but it is, remarked that the piane-leaved 
sort is most commonly cultivated, though 
many prefer the curled kind, because its 
leaves are most easily distinguished from 
tlie asthusa, or fool's parsley, a sort of hem- 
lock, and a poisonous garden weed, which, 
while young, has great resemblance to the 
common plane-leaved parsley. Besides, 
the curled paisley, from its having larger 
and thicker leaves, and being curiously fim- 
briated and curled, so as to shew full and 
double, makes a better appearance in its 
growth, and is more esteemed by cooks for 
the purpose of garnishing dishes, &c. It 
may, however, be necessary to remark, that 
this sort, as being only a variety, is liable to 
degenerate to the common plane sort, un, 
less particular care be taken to save the 
seed always from the perfect, full curled 
plants. Both the varieties are propagated 
by seed sown annually in spring, where 
the plants are to remain ; but the plants, 
are biennials, rising from seed sown in 
March, April, May, and June A. iatifoli- 
um, or broad-leafed parsley. The prepara- 
tion of this species is also by seed sown an- 
nually in February, March, April, or May. 
where the plants are to remain. For this 
purpose, a spot of light rich earth, in an 
open exposure, is to be preferred ; the seed 
being sown broad-cast, and raked in, the 
plants generally appearing in about a month 
after being sown, and in May or June they 
