342 
THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 
Kienenzeitunr/, by Von Berlcpsch, and G. Eberhardt, the 
substance of which is as follows : 
“ The Creator has given the bee an instinct to stoic up honey 
and pollen, which are not always to be procured, but not water, 
Which is always accessible in her native regions. In northern 
latitudes, when confined to the hive, often for months together, 
they can obtain the water they need only from the watery parti- 
cles contained in the honey, the perspiration which condenses on 
the colder parts of the hive, or the humidity of tho air which 
enters their hives. 
*■ Vital energy in the bee is at its lowest point in November and 
December. If, at this time, an unusual degree of cold does not 
force her to resort to muscular action, she remains almost motion- 
less, a death-like silence prevailing in the hive ; and we know, by 
actual experiment, that much less food is consumed than at any 
other time. Breeding having ceased, the weather-bound bees 
have no demands made on their vital action, and we have never 
known them at this time to suffer for want of water. As soon, 
however, as the queen begins to lay, which occurs in many colo- 
nics early in January, and in some by Christmas, the workers 
must eat more freely both honey and pollen, to supply jelly for 
the larvm, and wax for sealing their cells. Much more water is 
needed for these purposes, than when they can procure the fresh 
nectar of flowers ; and the want of it begins to be felt about tho 
middle of January. ' The unmistakable signs of the dearth of water 
in a colony , are found in the granules of candied honey lying on 
the bottom of the hive. The suffering bees will now open cell after 
cell of the scaled honey, to obtain what remains uncandied, and 
when these supplies of moisture fail, will attack tho unsealed 
larva;, and devour the eggs, if any are still laid. They now give 
way to despair, disperse through the hive, if the cold does no! 
prevent, as though they had lost their queen, and perish amid 
stoics of honey, unless milder weather permits them to go in search 
of water, or the Apiarian supplies it in their hive, when order 
will again be restored. 
“ Alter protracted and severe Winters, of every six bees that 
perish, five die for want of water, and not, as was hitherto sup- 
