348 
FARMER BEEKEEPERS 
The next lower structure is the crystal¬ 
line cone c, c, which is composed of four 
cells, of which only two show in the long 
section. In the pupa stage the boundaries 
are much clearer, and the nuclei larger 
than they are in the adult eye. This cone 
is clear, and, like the lens above it, gathers 
in the rays of light so that they can act on 
the nerves below just as the lens in the 
human eye gathers together rays of light 
so they can affect the nerves behind it. 
Directly in line with the cone is a long 
rodlike structure which runs clear to the 
bottom of the ommatidium, called the 
“rhabdome,” rhb. This probably contains 
the ends of the nerves, which are sensitive 
to light. 
Around the rhabdome are eight retina 
cells ret, which have poured out a secretion 
while in the pupa state to form the rhab¬ 
dome. 
Around the cone and retina cells there 
are pigment cells o. p. c. and c. p. c., that 
keep the light from passing from one om¬ 
matidium to the other, and thus making a 
confused image, just as the inside of a 
camera is painted black to avoid reflec¬ 
tions. In the human eye we also find pig¬ 
ment, which is also located just behind the 
nerve-endings, and answers the same pur¬ 
pose. There are two kinds of these pig¬ 
ment cells. The ones at the base of the 
cone, o. p. c., are two in number, and do 
not extend below the base of the cone. The 
other pigment cells, c. p. c., extend from 
the lens to the base of the ommatidium, 
and are generally twelve in number. The 
pigment in these cells is located principal¬ 
ly at the outer portion of the eye; and the 
retina cells also contain a pigment, thus 
making a complete sheath of pigment 
around the nerve and nerve-endings in the 
middle. 
The nerve lines in the eye extend down 
along the eight retina cells, and at the bot¬ 
tom come together, and the united nerve 
extends toward the brain. See cut. 
F 
FAIRS, EXHIBITS AT.— See Honey 
Exhibits. 
FARMER BEEKEEPERS.— Sometimes 
the professional class of honey-producers 
have a feeling of antipathy, if not disgust, 
toward the farmer who keeps a few bees, 
especially if he is in the immediate neigh¬ 
borhood. In some cases, at least, there is 
some justification for that feeling. Some 
farmers have too many irons in the fire. 
They do a little of everything to make a 
little money, but they do nothing particu¬ 
larly well. 
A farmer of this class usually has hard 
luck. His buildings are in a tumble-down 
condition, machinery out in the weather, 
his fences down, his stock ill fed, and, on 
top of it all, he is in debt. When he keeps 
bees he allows them to take care of them¬ 
selves, his swarms get away from him, 
hives are robbed out, and, if weakened by 
disease, foul brood is scattered far and 
wide. He does not take any agricultural 
paper, much less a bee journal, and sells 
his honey at any old price. 
He never gets any honey unless the sea¬ 
son is extraordinary. It is no wonder that 
the real progressive beekeeper finds such a 
farmer a menace to his business. 
Fortunately, the majority of our farmers 
are well-read, comfortably well off, and if 
they keep bees they secure fair returns 
from them. There is nothing that will yield 
for him larger returns for the money in¬ 
vested than bees. His wife and children 
may just as well get a little money on the 
side by keeping bees as by keeping chick¬ 
ens; and the chances are two to one that 
