M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-06-17
9gntaIturaI.
From the American Agricultnrist.
Wonders Of the Bee Hive.
swARMIEd.

cess Oy which lamllleS or STOCKS are
multiplied. 1t would be o problem
difficult of solution fvr one ignorant of
the mode. Iiere is family consist.
ing of one mother and her offspring:
the former living several years, while
the common bees are short lived. She
cannot bear the presence Of rivals in
her hive; her own departure would
occasion great commotion; she is Mt.
terly unable to 60 out alone and lay
the foundation Of new colony; and
ten thousand bees without her would
not be able to pfoduce any good OF
keep their number good. And against
any scheme of colonizingis is the strong
instinct that brings the fOraging bees
directly back to the old hive, and the
persistence with which they cling to
their stores of honey and their brood
comb.
But God has given them other in.
stincts which come into operation at
the right moment, and make a certain
number perfectly willing to abandon
their home and tellow-workers, never
more to return. Earlyin the Summer
perhaps about the time some of our
readers receive this number of the
Agriculturist, tile hives begin to get
uncomtortably full of inmates, and
preparations are made for swarming.
Royal cells are constructed, and the
occupants are nicely cared for. This
is for the benefit of those to he Left in
the hive, for the mother bee is herself
going to emigrate with a large number
Of workers and drones. Perhaps
scouts are sent out before hand to see
ifquarters can be secured in the neigh !
borhood for term of years, such at
least is the opinion Of eminent natur.
alists. At length on a pleasant day,
and usually not far from midday, the
occupants Of the hive arc all found to
be in a great commotion; some of
them are filing their bags with honey,
and others are lettering around, like
people in the streets Of Il city when a
regiment of soldiers is expected to
come along. BY and by with a great
rush and whirl they pour out OF the
hive, as if the house was on fire and
fly of in a cloud, and settling down in
a cluster on the branch of an apple
tree, they speedily come to order and
consult as to the next step. After re.
there an ho1r or two, if not
taken care Of, they will perhaps start
of in a bee-line for their new home,
which may be miles distant. While {
clustered on the tree, they may be l
handled without injury, as their abun. {
dant supply Of food makes them do |
cile, and if then provided with home
they may accept the offer of hospitali-
ty and forego their own plans. Some 2
times instead of pausing at all or how 8
ering around in circles, they dart away 8
at once in the direction Of their new |
home. Some times also in an apiary
they are glad to take possession of an
empty hive, if one stands ready for :
them, and ifit is well stored with r
comb, il is all the better, and more b
attractive. In some places the at I
tempt has been made to arrest the
flight of swarms by the ringing Of
bells, the beating of tin kettles, and
similar noises, but this probably has ,
no effect upon them, and the custom ,
may have arisen at first in villages
where the discovery oI a swarm in mo- {
tion was announced by bells, that the :
owners might look to it and be able !
to identify their own bees.
The swarm of bees going out in this
way is able to maintain itself The
workers are provided with food for
several days, and can at once begin
the manufacture of comb; and as soor
as the new cells are made the mother
bee is ready to lay eggs in them, aad
prepare for an increase of population.
On the other hand, those that are left
behind, have abundant store Of honey
and of comb; the brood in the cells
IRE maturing every day, and from the
royal cells, they may be sure Of at least
one queen, to take the place ofthe one
hat left. Should two of these come
10 maturity, however, there must be
either a duel between them, or one of
hem must 90 off with a second swarm,
giving way to her rival, and still fur
her reducingthe strength ofthe stock.
1t is supposed that those who have
zone from the hive in this natural fe-
yer, lose entirely the instinct which
lad before impelled them to return to
he old home, and readily adapt
themselves b their new hive, whether
t is placed to feet or two miles from {
he old stand.
We leave the subject for the present {
With this perhaps the greatest Of Won t
ers. 1t is to the bees as if Queen {
with a portion Of her sub {
eets and as much treasure as could be
aught up hastily in their hands, sho'd }
ONE day leave their homes, their r