Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-10-27

'AN' There is at Brooklyn, New York, a
model Apiary, containing about seventy
fcofamilics. or hives, with a population.
it is supposed, Of upwards Of five millions
of bees. They are part ofan emigration
this spring from the Kenncbcc in Maine,
and have beer industrious and prosper
ons s,ncc their settlement here. The
structure Of their residence, and the mode
,ofproviding for the s%ustenance Of the COL
qony, are the subject Of patent given a
little more than two years ago to Mr..
AR. GnLMoRE but tho Apiary at
Brooklyn belongs TO Messrs. EDWARDS
g. PLATT. ?
The residence of the bees is a large
quadrangle, enclosing a central square, al
present open at the top, hut intended 10
be covered with a roofupon the approach
ofwinter. One side only is now occupied
lylises, which are disposed along it in
three tiers placed upon one another. The
bees begin their work at the top of the
.nppermost and, when that is filed W it'll
honey. descend in succession to those be-
low. IN the autumn. the upper tier with
IFS contcn,s, is rcmovcd, leaving the two
others for tho winters supply Of food for
thc tenants, and empty hives are dcposi-
fed at the bottom of those remaining.
. mihis way a constant succession of
hives full of honey is annually removed
for use without the destruction Of the in
1sects. And they never swarm, because
new hives are added. like wings to the
spatcrnal domicil. rs fast as the family in
screascs /; between all of which, from one
extremity to the other. there is a free
communication. In addition TO tho FORE
going means Of procuring honey, boxes.
jars. and mmblers are placed adjacent to
fhe hives, into which the little creatures
are ALWAYS glad to enter and build their
comb. As soon MS these arc filled with
honey, the bees are shut off, the boxes re-
moved to ansther place, where the bees
remaining in ii make their escape as soon
MS permitted. and return to their own
hive. This, being the youngest, il the
incest ofiheir product, and is alwaysvery
white and handsome. They are ofthree
sizes, of FIVE pounds and upwards each,
selling from a dollar and a quarter TO a
dollar and three-quarters apiece,or about
two stlllings a pound.
10 save an unnecessary assumption of
time in travelling to distant flowers, and
visiting a great many ofthem, as VIC have
seentilem do, before obtaining a meal. an
eatn2,house is erected on purpose for
them chse BY their work; in other words.
sheir food IS brought within a rod or two
oftheir hives What this consists Of is a
secret but 4 IS evidently of great con-
seqncpcc, because the flavor and beauty
ofthe h~oney-comb depend essentially. as
1t is said those Of poultry do, upon their
style ofliving. The liberal consumption
of this by such diminutive creature crea-
ted such SUI prise that we omitted to set
Il down Till we had a confirmation of the
fact-it is six hundred pounds daily ! To
lie sure, they depend entirely on the pre-
pazstion ofthis liquid composition for sus-
ienance. and also for the production Of
their delicious raanufacturc. With due
allowances fortresspassing becsfrom other
quarters, and flies. who are
never driven from ~hat no doubt thev all
a consider 10 be tho mamma or providentiai
<lispensation Of nature. coMmcn IKE the
flowers of the 6eld for al the deaixess Of
the II. YET the daily posztien of . large
fraction ofahogAead Of Equor seems a
little iatemperate- However, it sAuald
not be grudged them; they work hard,
and thisis the only pay they get. though
shey DO nof safer mar1yrdom as farmer.