BEE-spoke-data/bees-v0 huggingface dataset:
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**AMERIAN FARMER'S ENCYCLOEDIA,**
**SA A Book of Reference for the Farrier or Gardner, THIS Work is superior to any other. It contains Reliable Information for the Cultivation of every variety of Field and Garden Cross, the use of all kinds of Manures, descriptions and figures of American insects; and is, indeed, an Agricultural Library in itself, containing leader Maudret pages, octavo, and is illustrated by numerous engravings of Grasses, Granus, Animals, Implementants, insects, &c. By Gourourkanen Explosos or Pennsylvania.**
**AMERIAN WEDEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS,**
**AN LILURTATED Edition of Agricultural Botany; An Enumeration and Description of Weeds and Useful Plants which merit the notice or require the attention of American Agriculturalists. By W. Darrington, M. D. Revised, with Additions, by Gourourkanen Tricuvan, Prof. of Mat. Med. and Botany in the New York College of Pharmacy.**
**ALLEN'S (R. L.) AMERIAN FARM BOOK,**
**OR a Compend of American Agriculture; being a Practical Treatise on Soils, Manures, Drathing, Irrigation, Grasses, Grain, Roots, Fruits, Cotton, Tobacco, Sugar Anne, Rice, and every Staple Product of the United States; with the best methods of Phanting, Cultivating and Preparation for Market.**
**ALLEN'S (R. L.) DISCUES OF DORESTIC ANIMALS,**
**Being a History and Description of the Horss, Mulx, Cattle, Sheep, Swine, Poultry and Farm Dogs, with Directions for their Management, Breeding, Crossing, Rearing, Feeding, and Preparation for a Protable Market; also, their Diseases and Ramdles, together with full Directions for the Management of the Daily, and the comparative Economy and Advantage of Working Animals,--the Horse, Mulx, Oxen, &c.**
**ALLEN'S (L. F.) RURAL ARCHITECTURE,**
**Being a Complete Description of Farm Housing, Cottaoes and Out Building, comprising Wood House, Workshop, Tool House, Carriage and Wagon House, Stables, Smoke and Ash House, Ice House, Aparities or Dog House, Poultry House, Rabbity, Doveco, Pliggery, Barns and Sheds for Cattle, &c., : together with Lawns, Plonsure Grounds and Parks ; the Flower, Fruit and Vegetable Garden; also, the best method of conducting water into Cattle Yards and House.**
**ALLEN (J. Fisk) ON THE CULURE OF THE GRAPE,**
**A Practical Treatise on the Culture and Treatment of THE Grape Vine, embracing its History, with Directions for its Treatment in the United States of America, in the Open Air and under Glass Structures, with and without Artificial Heat.**
**SHEPERTY'S ONN BOOK,**
**With an Account of the Different Breeds, Diseases and Management of Shoep, and General Directions in regard to Summer and Winter Management, Breeding and the Treatment of Diseases ; with illustrative engravings by Youtat & Randall; embracing Skinner's Notes on the Breed and Management of Sheep in the United States, and on the Culture of Fine Wool.**
**STEWART'S TABLE BOOK,**
**A Treatise on the Management of Horses, in Relation to Stabling, Grooming, Feeding, Watering and Working, Construction of Stables, Ventilation, Appendages of Stables, Management of the Foot, and of Diseased and Defective Horses. By Josav Stewart, Veterinary Surgeon. With Notes and Additions, adapting It to American Food and Climate. By A. B. Allen, Editor of the American Agricultural,**
**SIRAY LEAVES FROM THE BOOK OF NATURE,**
**By M. Sciele De Vere, of the University of Virginia.**
**Cometes: I. Omly A Pergle.**
**II. Nature is Motion.**
**III. The ocean and its Lipid.**
**IV. A Chiat about Plants.**
**V. Yongping Years of a Plant.**
**VI. Laten Years of a Plant.**
**VII. Plant Mimmer.**
**VIII. Unezhoven Tusquets.**
**IX. A Turb to the Moon.**
**STEPHENS' (HENRY) BOOK OF THE FARM,**
**A Complete Guide to the Farmer, Steward, Flowman, Cattilpman, Shepherd, Field Worker and Dairy Madd. By Heart Stephens. With Four Hurdred and Fifty Illustrations ; to which are added Explanatory Notes, Remarks, **kc., by J. S. Skinner.**
**SKILLFLU HOUSEWLE,**
**Or Complete Guide to Domestic Coobery, Taste, Comfbot, and Economy, embracing 550 Recipes pertaining to Household Dutties, the Care of Health, Gardennie, Birds, Education of Children, **kc.,**
**By Mrs. L. G. Abell.**
**SKINNER'S ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE,**
**A Adapted to the Use of American Farmers. By F. G. Skinner,**
**SMITR'S (C. H. J.) LANDSOAPE GARDENING, PARKS AND**
**PLEASURE GROUNDS,**
**With Practical Notes on Country Residences, Villas, Publig Parks and Gardens. By Charles H. J. Smith, Landscape Gardener and Garden Archul.**
**tect. With Notes and Additions by Lewis F. Allen, author of**
**THAER'S (ALBERT D.) Agriculture,**
**The Principles of Agriculture, by Albert D. Thaer ; Translated by William Shaw and Cuthier W. Johnson, Eq., F. R. S. With a Memoir of the Author.**
**This work is regarded, by those who are competent to judge, as one of the most valuable works that has ever appeared on the subject of Agriculture. At the same time that it is**
**t****inherently practical, it is philosophical, and, even to the general reader, remarkably entertaining.**
**Thomas' (J. J.) FARM IMPLENTS,**
**And the Principles of their Construction and Use; an Elementary and familiar Trentise on Mechanics and Natural Philosophy, as applied to the ordinary practices of Agriculture. With 200 illustrations.**
**THODISON (R. D.) ON THE FOOD OF ANIMALS,**
**75 EXPERIMENTAL Researches on the Food of Animals and the Fattening of Cattle ; with Remarks on the Food of Munch. Based upon Experiments undertaken by order of the British Government, by Rossard Dutda Thomoux, M. D.,**
**Leactured on Practical Chemistry, University of Glasgow.**The ROSE CULTURIST, Being a Practical Treatise on the Propagation, Cultivation, and Management of the Rose in all sessions ; with a List of Choice and Approved Varieties, adapted to the Climato of the United States ; to which is added full directions for the Treatment of the Dahlia. Illustrated by engravings.
TOPHAN'S CHEMISTRY MADE EASY, For the Use of Farmers. By J. Topham.
TURNER'S COTTON PLANTEE'S MANUAL, Being a Compilation of Facts from the Best Authorities on the Culture of Cotton, its Natural History, Chemical Analysis, Trade and Consumption, and embracing a History of Cotton and the Cotton Gin. By J. A. Tutink.
WARDER'S (J. A.) Hedges and Evergorens, - - - 1 00
A Complete Manual for the Cultivation, Pruning and Management of all Plants suitable for American Hedging, especially the Machura or Oange Orange. Fully illustrated with engravings of plants, implements and processes. To which is added a _Treatise on European_, their different Varieties, their propagation, transplanting and Culture in the United States.
WARING'S ELEMENTS OF AGRICUURE, A Book for Young Farmers, with Questions for the USE of Schools.
WEEKS (JON M.) ON BEES-A MANUAL, - - - - 60
On a Easy Method of Managing Bees in the most profitable manner to their Owner ; with Infullible Rules to Prevent their Instruction by the Moth. With an Appendix, by Woodern A. Flindera.
WHITE'S (W. X.) GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH, - - - 1 25
On, the Kitchen and Fruit Garden, with the Best Methods for their Cultivation ; together with Hints upon Landscape and Flower Gardening ; containing Modes of Culture and Descriptions of the Species and Varieties of the Culinary Vegetables, Fruit Trees and Fruits, and a Select List of Ornamental Trees and Plants, Adapted to the States of the Union South of Pennsylvania, with Gardening Calondars for the same. By Wax. N. Warny, of Athens, Georgia.
YOUTT AND MARTIN ON CATLE, Being a Treatise on their Breeds, Management, and Diseases, comprising a Full History of the Various Races ; their Origin, Breeding and Mertes ; their capacity for Boef and Milk. By W. Yocart and W. C. L. Martin. The whole forming a Complete Guide for the Farmer, the Amateur and the Veterinary Surgeon, with 100 illustrations. Edited by Armstrong Stevens.
YOUTT ON THE HORSE, - - - - 1 25
YOUTT ON THE STRUCTURE and Diseases of the Horse, with their Bernoles ; also, Practical Rules for Buyers, Breeders, Smiths, &c. Edited by W. C. Spooner, M.R.C.V.S. With an Account of the Breeds in the United States, by Hircur S. Randall.
YOUTT ON SHEEP, - - - - 75
Theri Breed, Management and Diseases, with Illustrative Engravings ; to which are added Remarks on the Breeds and Management of Sheep in the United States, and on the Culture of Fine Wool in Silesion. By Wax. Yocart.
YOUTT AND MARTIN ON THE HOG, - - - 75
A Treatise on the Breeds, Management, and Medical Treatment of Souse, with Directions for Sating Fork and Curing Bacon and Hams. By Wax. Yocart, V. S., and W. C. L. Martin. Edited by Ambrosia Stevens. Illustrated with engravings drawn from life.
**Francis Huber**
**New Observations Upon Bees**
**FRANCIS HUBER**
**1814**
Translated from the French
(Editor of the American Bee Journal)
AMERICAN BEE JOURNAAL
Hamilton, ILLINOIS, U. S. A.
**1926**COPYRIGHT 1926
\(H\,
u\,2\,3\,3\,5\)
\(H\,\)8\(\,\)6
_copy one_
Printed in the United States of America
## Introduction by the translator
The writer of this has both editions of Huber's "Nouvelles Observations," in the French language, dated 1792 and 1814. He also possesses two of the four so-called "original" translations into English of this famous work, the second (1808) and the third (1821). Reading them and comparing them with each other and with the French original, he discovered that they are far from complete. They appear to be different from each other, for they begin and end with different wording. But some of the most absurd errors in translation or type-setting are repeated in each. For instance, in the eighth letter, the words "strong hive" were printed as "strange hive" and this ridiculous printer's error is repeated in each edition of the translation, showing that they are a copy of each other, with just enough changes to make it appear that they are original translations. Moreover, the English translation has but 5 plates instead of 12 in the original French editions. It is very incomplete, being very much abridged in many parts. At the suggestion of leading students and beekeepers in America, of whom I will name only two, Dr. E. F. Phillips and Mr. E. R. Root, this complete translation was made. It is useless to recall how important a work Huber's "New Observations" has been. Many people imagine that they have discovered things in beekeeping that this wonderful man had already described, with the help of his faithful wife and devoted secretary, Burnens, for Huber was blind. The translator's intention is not to make money out of it, but only to have the credit of a correct translation of this wonderful book. Let me add here, that credit must be given to Mr. Graham Burtt of England for his help in the translation of one chapter. C. P. Dadant.
VOLUME I
First Letter--Upon the Feecundation of the Queen Bee
Letter from Mr. Bonnet to Mr. Huber Upon Bees
Second Letter--Continuation on the Feecundation of the Queen Bee
Third Letter--Queen Bees' Whole Feecundation Is Delayed
Fourth Letter--On Schirach's Discovery
Fifth Letter--Worker Bees Laying Fertile Eggs
Sixth Letter--On the Combats of Queens, Massacre of Males, etc.
Seventh Letter--Reception of Strange Queens
Eighth Letter--Is the Queen Bee Oviapous? Spinning of Cocoons,
Sizes of Cells and Bees
Ninth Letter--On the Formation of Swarms
Tenth Letter--Continuation of Same Subject
Eleventh Letter--Continuation of Same Subject
Twelfth Letter--Queens Laying Drone Eggs, Queens Deprived of
Their Antennae
Shirteenth Letter--Eeonomical Views on Bees
VOLUME II
CHAPTER I
My Opinions on Beeswax
CHAPTER II
On the Origin of Wax
CHAPTER III
On the Architecture of Bees
CHAPTER IV
Continuation of the Architecture of Bees
Work of the Bees in Shaping Cells of the First Row
136TABLE OF CONTENTS
**Page**
Detailed Description of the Work of the Bees. 139 Construction of the Cells of the Second Row. 145 Article Communicated by P. Prevost........................ 151
CHAPTER V
Modifications in the Architecture of Bees. 153 Appendix to Chapters on Architecture of Bees. 161
CHAPTER VI
Completion of the Cells. 167
CHAPTER VII
On a New Enemy of the Bees. 177
CHAPTER VIII
On the Respiration of Bees. 183
CHAPTER IX
On the Senses of Bees and Especially That of Smell. 199
CHAPTER X
Researches on the Use of Antennae. 208 Confirmation of Schirach's Discovery. 213 History of Some Black Bees. 216 Letter Upon the Analysis of Wax Glands. 226 Extract From the Memoir of John Hunter. 229VOLUME I.
In publishing my observations upon honeybees, I will not conceal the fact that it was not with my own eyes that I made them. Through a concourse of unfortunate accidents, I became blind in my early youth; but I loved sciences, I did not lose the taste for them when I lost the organs of sight. I caused the best works on physics and natural history to be read to me: I had for reader a servant (Francis Burnens, born in the canton of Vaud), who became extraordinarily interested in all that he read to me: I judged readily, from his remarks upon our readings, and through the consequences which he knew how to draw, that he was comprehending them as well as I, and that he was born with the talents of an observer. This is not the first example of a man who, without education, without wealth, and in the most unfavorable circumstances, was called by nature alone to become a naturalist. I resolved to cultivate his talent and to use it some day for the observations which I planned: with this purpose, I caused him to reproduce at first some of the most simple experiments of physics; he executed these with much skill and intelligence; he then passed to more difficult combinations. I did not then possess many instruments, but he knew how to perfect them, to apply them to new uses, and, when it became necessary, he made, himself, the machines which we needed. In these divers occupations, the taste which he had for the sciences soon became a veritable passion, and I hesitated no longer to give him my entire confidence, feeling sure to see well when seeing through his eyes.
The continuation of my readings having directed me to the beautiful memoirs of Mr. de Reaumur upon bees, I found in this work so beautiful a plan of experiments, observations made with so much art, so wise a logic, that I resolved to study especially this celebrated author, to shape my reader and myself at his school, in the difficult art of observing nature. We began by studying bees in glazed hives, we repeated all the experiences of Mr. de Reaumur, and we obtained exactly the same results, when we used the same processes. This agreement of my observations with his own gave me extreme pleasure, for it proved to me that I could depend absolutely upon the eyes of my pupil. Emboledened by his first trial, we attempted to make upon the bees some entirely new experiments; we devised divers hive constructions of which no one had ever thought, and which presented great advantages, and we had the good fortune to discover remarkable facts which had been unobserved by Swammerdam, Reaumur and Bonnet. These facts I publish in this work: there is not one of them that we have not seen over and again several times, during the eight years in which we have occupied ourselves with researches upon bees.
One cannot have a correct idea of the patience and skill with which Burnens executed the experiments which I am about to describe: it often happened that he followed, for 24 hours, without allowing himself any relaxation, without taking rest or food, a few worker bees of our hives, which we suspected of being fertile; in order to detect them in the laying of eggs. At other times, when it was necessary to examine all the bees which inhabited a hive, he did not have recourse to the operation of a bath, which is so simple and easy, because he had noticed that a sojourn in water disfigures the bees to a certain point, and does not enable one to perceive the little differences of structure which we wanted to ascertain; but he would take all the bees, one after another, in his fingers, and examine them with attention, without fearing their anger: it is true that he had acquired such dexterity, that he usually avoided the strokes of the sting; but he was not always so lucky, and when he was stung, he continued his inspection with the most perfect calm. I often upgraded myself for putting his courage and patience to so hard a test, but he was as interested as I in the success of our experiments, and through the extreme desire which he had to become informed of the results, he counted as nothing the trouble, the fatigue and the temporary pains of the stings. Therefore, if there is any merit in our discoveries, I must divide the honor with him; it is a great satisfaction for me to insure this reward for him, by acknowledging the justice of it publicly.
Such is the faithful account of the circumstances in which I found myself; I realize that I have to do much to secure the confidence of naturalists; but in order to be more sure of obtaining it, I will take the freedom of a little self-conceit. I communicated successively my principal observations upon bees to Mr. Bonnet; he found them correct, he advised me to publish them and it is with his approval that I publish them under his patronage. This testimony of his approval is so glorious for me, that I could not forego the pleasure of informing my readers of it.
I do not ask that I be believed upon my word: I will recount our experiments and tell all the precautions taken: I will detail so exactly the processes that we have employed, that all the observers will be enabled to repeat these experiments; and if then, as I do not doubt, they secure the same' results as I did, I will have the consolation of knowing that the loss of my eyesight did not render me altogether useless in the progress of Natural History.
## Volume I New Observations Upon Bees.
_By FRANCIS HUBER_
FIRST LETTER
_Upon the Fecundation of the Queen-Bee._
Pregny, August 13, 1789.
Sir, when I had the honor of giving you, at Genthod, an account of my principal experiments upon bees, you expressed the desire that I should write all the details and that I should send them to you, so that you might judge them with more attention. I therefore hastened to extract the following observations from my journal. Nothing could be more flattering for me than the interest you are kind enough to take in the success of my researches. Therefore permit me to remind you of the promise you have made to suggest new experiments to undertake.
After having for a long time watched the bees in glazed hives, constructed in the way indicated by Mr de Reaumur, you perceived, Sir, that their shape was not favorable to the observer, because these hives are too wide, the bees building in them two rows of parallel combs, and consequently all that happens between those combs is lost for the observer: from this correct remark, you advised the use for naturalists of much narrower hives, the panes of which should be so close together that there would be room between them for only one row of combs. I followed your advice, I made hives an inch and a half only in thickness and I had no trouble in living swarms in them. But we cannot rely upon the bees to construct a single comb; they are taught by nature to build parallel combs; it is a law from which they never derogate, when they are not constrained by some particular disposition: therefore if left to themselves in our thin hives, as they could not build two parallel combs in the length of the hive, they would construct several small ones perpendicular to it and all that would happen between them would be equally lost for the observer: one must therefore arrange the combs beforehand. I have them placed so that their plane is perpendicular to the horizon and their lateral surfaces three or four lines from the panes of the hive, on each side. This distance gives the bees sufficient* 8 New observations upon bees.
freedom but prevents them from collecting in too thick clusters upon the surface of the combs. With these precautions, the bees establish themselves easily in such narrow hives; they do their work with the same assiduity and order, and as there are no cells which are not exposed to view, we are sure that they cannot conceal any of their actions.
It is true that by compelling these bees to be content with a habitation in which they could build but one single row of comb, I had, to a certain point, changed their natural condition, and this circumstance might alter their instinct more or less. Therefore, to obviate any kind of objection, I devised a hive which, without losing the advantage of thin hives, approached the shape of the common hives, in which bees construct several parallel rows of combs. I will give here the description in a few words.
I procured several small frames of pine, a foot square, and an inch and a quarter thick; I caused them to be all joined together with hinges, so that they might open and close at will, like the leaves of a book, and I had the two outside frames covered with panes of glass, representing the covers of the book. When we used hives of this shape, we had a comb of cells fastened within each of those frames; we then introduced the number of bees needed for each particular experiment; then,1 by opening successively the different frames, we inspected, several times each day, each comb on its two sides: there was not a cell, therefore, in which we could not examine what took place at any moment; I might almost say that there was not a single bee with which we did not get personally acquainted. In fact, this construction is nothing but the union of several narrow hives, which may
1 Plate I. Explanation. The book hive is composed of the putting together of 12 frames placed vertically and parallel to one another.
Fig. 1 represents one of these frames: the uprights fg, fg, should be 12 inches in length, and the cross pieces ff, gg, 9 or 10 inches; the thickness of the uprights and of the cross pieces should be 1 inch and their width 1% inches. It is important that this last measurement be exact.
aa, piece of comb which serves to direct the bees in their work.
bb, bb, pegs which serve to fasten the comb within the frame: there are four on the other side which do not show in this cut, but figure 4 shows how they are to be placed.
d, movable cross piece which serves also in supporting the comb.
ee, pegs driven into the uprights under the movable cross piece to support it.
Figure 2 represents a book hive, composed of 12 frames all numbered. Between the 6th and 7th frames are 2 boards each with shutter which may divide the hive into two equal parts, but which are to be used only when wanting to separate the hive in two for the making of an artificial swarm. They are designated by a a.
b b, boards which close the ends of the hive, with shutters.
There are openings at the lower end of each frame; all must be closed with the exception of Numbers 1 and 12; but they must be disposed so as to be opened at will.
Figure 3 exhibits the hive as an open book in part, to show that the frames of which it is composed may be joined together, and open like the leaves of a book. a a, are shutters which close it at each end.
Figure 4 is the same as figure 1 shown in a different way.
a, piece of combs to direct the work of the bees.
bb, bb, pegs arranged in wedge shape to hold the comb within the frame.
c, end of two slats which serve in holding the comb, the upper one stationary, the lower one movable.
## First Letter.
be separated at will: I acknowledge that bees must not be examined, in such a hive, before they have fixed their combs securely in the frames; otherwise they might fall out of the frames, upon the bees, crush or main some of them and irritate them to such a point, that the observer could not avoid stings, which are always unpleasant and sometimes dangerous: but they soon become accustomed to the situation; they are in some way tamed by it, and at the end of three days one may open the hive, carry away parts of combs, substitute others, without the bees exhibiting too formidable signs of displeasure. Kindly remember, sir, that when you visited my retreat, I showed you a hive of this shape which had been a long time in experiment, and that you were much astonished at the peaceableness with which the bees permitted us to open it.