THIS HONEY BEE CAPABLE OF BEING TAME! 
25 
and indeed until quite modern times, honey was almost 
the only natural sweet ; and the promise of “ a land 
flowing with milk and honey ” had once a significance 
which it is difficult for us fully to realize. The honey-bee, 
therefore, was created not merely to store up its delicious 
nectar for its own use, but with certain propensities, with- 
out wTiich man could no more subject it to his control, 
than he could make a useful beast of burden of a lion or 
a tiger. 
One of the peculiarities which constitutes the founda- 
tion of my system of management, and indeed of the 
possibility of domesticating at all so irascible an insect, 
has never to my knowledge been clearly stated as a great 
and controlling principle. It may be thus expressed : 
A honey-bee when filled with honey never volunteers an 
attack , but acts solely on the defensive. 
This law of the honeyed tribe is so universal, that a stone 
might as soon be expected to rise into the air without 
any propelling power, as a bee well filled with honey to 
offer to sting, unless crushed or injured by some direct 
assault. The man who first attempted to hive a swarm 
of bees, must have been agreeably surprised at the ease 
with which he was able to accomplish the feat ; for it is 
wisely ordered that bees, when intending to swarm, 
should fill their honey-bags to their utmost capacity. 
They are thus so peaceful that they can easily be secured 
by man, besides having materials for commencing opera- 
tions immediately in their new habitation, and being in 
no danger of starving if several stormy days should fol- 
low their emigration. 
Bees issue from their hives in the most peaceable mood 
imaginable ; and unless abused allow themselves to lie 
treated with great familiarity. The hiving of them 
might always be conducted without risk, if there were 
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