Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-10-05

THE INGENUITY OF BEES.
A Curious Illustration of Their Clever
ness.

A correspondent of Nature writes as fol-
lows "I have never followed Huber
through his wonderful researches into the
astounding working proceedings OF hive
bees that elder Huber, who by the way,
aided by so admirable a spouse, brought
his researches to so successful an ISSUE
Notwithstanding his blindness. Hence my
excuse, if what | attempt to describe as
being original to my own sense OF obser-
yatiOn, prove not so to others. think II
is conceded universally that, among other
leguminous plants, peas have ever been
secure from cross fertilization, one variety
with the other, in so far as natural nnu-
ences, insect agency, &c, are concerned.
Our stocks Of garden peas, though known
to run weody and grow inferior when cul-
tivated too long upon one kind of soil,
very rarely, If ever, sport or very as other
plants placed in juxtaposition Of
species, especially varieties, are known to
do. 30 decidedly has this fact been con-
firmed, that invariably sweet peas, even
when 1t is desirable to grow them true TO
name, are sown in rows, side by side,
whites, scarets, blues, etc, with the
utmost impunity. And this Is wholly
owing to the fact that the floral envelopes
are so securely wrapped around the plstll
and the stamers that these parts cannot
be reached without the cXertiOn of more
power than the strength bees and similar
winged insects are supposed ordinarily to
possess; unless, indeed, mechanism be
called to their aid-a science in itself, but
which, nevertheless, has been resorted to
In the instances to which | would direct
attention. Here, ihen, the hive bees me-
thodically bare the stamens by sheer me-
chnnical force, and rob each Of its load OF
A.. go al n
this they do in this wise Alighting on the
aloe or wings OF each bloom, they first of
all press their heads up under the base of
that part of the papiiouaceOus corolla
called the standard or Vcrillgin aud eN-
tract what nectar they find. Then with
their little heads firmly pressed therein,
and holding fast by the fore legs, they
exert their power, thus arti1cally con
trived, by treading down both the aiure-
said wings and the 'krei' or Gdriiid, which
80 securely envolops the sexual organs,
that they prOtrudc, so that the anthers are
laid bare, when they generally rub the pollen
oiltne stemens on to their hairy bellies, only
occasionally using one hinder leg to aid
/ them. II will be seen that they do TINS
4 with their hinder legs and body, at time
when their heads are entirely hidden
from view. have tested these parts IN
regard to the pressure needed 10 ulsciose
the pollen thus, and find a pressure OF
halfto three-quarter ounce L. necessary !
and computing the weight Of an lndiyid-
ual bee to about six truths OF an ounce,
we see what an amount of power must be
exercised In this hind before, or blindioli
manner by these interesting little creatures.
''l should add, however, though have
, been selccter of sweet peas for more
4 than a doznn years in other parts OF the
country as the selection sold by my seeds
men with my signature attached confirms
| nevertheless have not previously believed
in any power possessed by insect Agency
to thus destroy selections Here at Val
entines, however, being only seven miles
from London, il would appear that the
bees, like town sparrows, are unusually
wise in their general on and that, owing
to the scarcity of honey yielding materials,
they are driven TO such wonderful ieats
US have explained"