76 
THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 
did mind, the smallest piece of honey-comb is a perfect 
demonstration that there is a “ Great First Cause.” 
“ Ou books deep poring, ye pale sons of toil, 
Who waste in studious trance the midnight oil, 
Say, can ye emulate, with all your rules, 
Drawn or from Grecian or from Gothic schools, 
This artless frame ? Instiuct her simple guide, 
A heaven-taught insect baffles all your pride. 
Not all yon marshall’d orbs, that ride so high, 
Proclaim more loud a present Deity, 
Than the nice symmetry of these small cells, 
Where on each angle genuine science dwells.” 
Evans. 
CHAPTER V. 
PROPOLIS. 
This substance is obtained by the bees from the resinous 
buds and limbs of trees : the different varieties of poplar 
yield a rich supply. When first gathered, it is usually of 
a bright golden color, and so adhesive that the bees never 
deposit it in cells, but apply it at once to the purposes for 
which they procured it. If a bee is caught while bringing 
in a load, it will be found to adhere very firmly to her 
legs. 
“Huber planted in Spring some branches of the wild 
poplar, before the leaves were developed, and placed 
them in pots near his Apiary ; the bees alighted on them, 
separated the folds of the large buds with their for- 
ceps, extracted the varnish in threads, and loaded with it, 
first one thigh and then the other ; for they convey it liko 
pollen, transferring it by the first pair of legs to the 
