106 
BEE PASTURAGE, 
the most delicate substance; all that it can be used 
for is to sweep or lick up the nectar as it exudes from 
the pores of the flower, secreted, it would seem,- for no 
other purpose but to attract her — while there she 
obtains nothing but what nature has provided for her 
and given her the means of obtaining, and the most 
delicate petal receives no injury. 
During an excursion the bee seldom visits more 
than a single species of flower ; were it otherwise, and 
all kinds of flowers were visited promiscuously, by 
fertilizing one species with the pollen from another, 
the vegetable kingdom would be very likely to get 
into confusion. Writers, when noticing the peculiarity 
of instinct governing the bee here, cannot be content 
always, but must add other marvels. They follow 
this trait into the hive, and make her store every kind 
by itself there. Relative to honey it is not an easy 
matter to be positive ; but pollen is of a variety of 
colors, generally yellow, yet sometimes pale-green, and 
reddish or dark-brown. Now I think a little patient 
inspection would have satisfied any one that two 
kinds are sometimes packed in one cell, and prevented 
the assertion to the contrary. I will admit that two 
colors are seldom found packed together, but some- 
times will be. I have thus found it, and it has en- 
tirely ruined that theory for me. 
A TEST FOR THE PRESENCE OF QUEEN DOUBTED. 
It is further asserted that if a hive loses its queen 
“ no pollen is collected." Also, “ that such quantities 
are sometimes collected, and fill so many cells, that 
