Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-10-14
MIS- GILL A N T..


the males or droneS ron fuV 70 uouV's
that number. lF
The queen is the parent of the hive; i
and her sole province and occupation
consists in laying the eggs, from which /
Originate those prodigious multitudes that /
people hive, and emigfate from il 10 The q
course Of one summer. In the height OF
the season her fertility istruiy astonishing,
as she lays not fewer than 200 eggs per 1
ay,Sand even more when the season II
particularly warm and genial, ana now
ers are abundant; and this laying conlin- r
ues, though al gradually diminishing
rate, nil the approach Of cold weather IN /
October.
An ooinion has been entertained that
the queen IS followed in her progress
through the hive by a number of her sub.
iecls formed in circle round her, andt
! these. Of course, have been regarded ask
the queens body guards. The TRUTHS,
however, that her bee majesty has no al
iendanis, strictly speaking but wherever |
she moves, the workers whom she ems
counters ia her progress instantly and
hurriedlv clear the way before her. and
allfurning their heads toward their APP
preaching sovereign, lavish their caresses
upon her with much Affection and
touch her softly with their antenn@ and
these circumstances, which may be OBJ
served every hour in the day, have given
rise to the idea of guards On one occa-
. sion we gave her subjects an opportunity
Of ,eslifying theircourage ia her defence,
as well as their affection and zeal. OBJ
serving erlaying eggs inihe comb next
TO the glass of the hive, we gently bu:
quickly opened the pane, and endeayoured
to seize her. Butas soon as the removal
ofthes glass afforded room while shut il
vas almost.in contact with her back -
and before we could accomplish our pur-
pose, they threw their bodies upon her TO
The number of al least a hundred, and
formed a cone over her of such magnitude,
that she could not be less than two inches
distant from any part ofthe surface. We
dispersed the mass with our finger. and
got hold Of her precious person, and kept
looking at her for some minutes before we
restored the captive 10 her alarmed defen-
4: ders. :. II is remarkable that this violence
was not resented by them through they
coursed over our hands in scores, 4whiie
we kept hold Of their mistress not one in.
dividnslusedits sting. Theal-engrossing
object was the queen.
So The mutual aversion Of queens is |;
~ striking feature In the natural history o
this insect Their alenmity may b,
said to be an Unborn disposition with them
- for no sooner has the first of the race on
2 hive about 10 throw of a second swarm
escaped from her own cradle, than sh,
htffries awav IN search of her rivals, anC
~ exerts herself with the utmost eagernes.
to destroy them.
The workers, to the number .ofI0 900
10000, and even $4,000, constitute the
\ great mass of the population, and on then
devolve the whole laborsfor the establish
ment. Theirs is the Office Of searching
for and coIlectingt the precious fluid which
not ONLY furnishes their daily food, as wei
as that Of their young and the surplus O
which is laid up for winter stores, but al.
so The materials from which they real
their beautiful combs Ia the little bask
Ct shaped cavity of their hind legs they
bring homethe pollen or farinaceous dus
Of flowers. kneaded by the help of The
morning dew into tiny balls. which forms
an important ingredient in the nourish-
ment of the brood and also the propolis
or adhesive gum extracted from willows,
&c. wi.h.which they attach their combs
10 the upper part aud sides of the hive,
and stop every crevice that might admit
the winters cold.
The natural term Of the workers exist
ence does not extend, we think, beyond
six or eight months.
1t is the opinion OF DR.. Bevan that all
the bees brought into existence at the
queens great laying in spring die before
winter. But many sneyer reach that PEI
ROD, Showers Of rain, violent blasts Of
: wind, sudden changes Of atmosphere, de-
s,roy them in, hundreds. In The clear,
cold mornings and evenings Of autumn,
their eagerpess for foraging .entices them
abroad early aud late; when lighting on
the ground. many are chilled and quickly
perish. And should they escape the
,bliQhting atmosphere at the close of au-
tumn, bright sunshine in winter day,
when the ground perhaps is covered with
snow, brings them abroad in mulitudes,
and the half ofthem never return.
The sole office Of the male. or at least
the primary oneis. to pair with the queen.
He is.the father Of the hive. Indolent
and luxurious, he takes no part in the in
ternal operations Of the domicil, and new
er leaves j. with view Of sharing in the
labors Of the field. When he does ven.
ture abroad. i is only in the fines, weath.
er. and during the warmest part Of the
day 4e IS easily distinguished from the
workers by his larger size, by his heavy
motion in flight, and by his loud hum
ming sound. His life IS extremely short
1910. MANUFACTURING. 1910
T,HE undersigned takes This method to mott