The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-04-13
-FHE PRESS.
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL 10.
The Senses of Bees.

AS @SA5Oo Va Dt6Ss
Sir John Lubbock recently read to the
members OF the Linnesn Society an account
offhis further observations on the habits OF
insects made during the past year. Inc
two queen bees which have lived with MN
since 1874, and which are now, therefore, 10
less than eight years old, are sun awe and
laid eggs last summer rs usual. HIS oldest
workers are seven years old. Dr. Muller
in a recent review, had courteously criti-
cized his experiments on the color-sense OF
bees. but Sir John Lubbock pointed out
that he had anticipated the objections sng-
gested by DR.. Muller, and had guarded a
ganst the supposed source of error. The
difference was, moreover, not one of prinei-
pie, nor does DR.. Muller question the main
conclusions arrived at or doubt the prefer
ence of bees for blue, which, indeed, is
strongly indicated by his own observations
on flowers. Sir John also recorded some
further experiments with reference to the
power of hearing Some bees were trained
to come to honey which was placed on a mu.
steal box on the lawn close to the window.
The musical box was kept going for several
hours day for fortnight. 1t was then
brought into the house and placed out of
sight, but at the open window, and only a
bout seven yards from where it had been be-
fore. The bees, however, did NOS find the
honey, though wheu ii was once shown them
tuc1 CdtuC W III ftdUilN ciQuSf. otueT OK
periments with microphone were without
results. Everyone knows that bees when
swarming are popularity, and have been ever
since the time of Aristotle, supposed to be
influenced by elanging-kettles, &c. Exper-
fenced apiarists are now disposed to doubt
whether the noise has really on effect; but
Sir John suggests that even If it has, with
reference to which he expressed no opinion,
it is possible that what the bees hear are not
fho l1xu dc Int ha
the verge of or beyond our range of hearing.
AS regards the industry of wasps, he timed
bee and wasp, for each Of which he provided
store of honey, and he found the wasp be-
gan earlier in the morning tat four A. NJ
and worked on later in the day. He did not
however, quote this as proving greater indus
try on the part of the wasp, as Is might be
that they are less sensitive to cold. Moreover
though the bees PROPOSES is admirably a.
dapted to extract honey from tubular fow-
ers, when the honey is exposed, as in this
case, the wasp appears able to swallow it
more rapidly. This particular wasp began
work at four in the morning, and went on
without any rest or intermission till quar-
ter to eight in the evening, during which
time she paid Sir John 1l6 yisits.-The A
merican Naturalist for April.
Cream Gathering Pays Best.
In the Connecticut Farmer of the 18th inst,
there appeared report of the annual meet
ing OF the patrons OF the Pennington cream
cry; also very interesting letter from pa
tron of the same creamery who don't seem
to relish the " good old way" and compar-
ing the figures of the annual report with
those of the writer of the article it is no won
der; for the gentleman who furnished the
IS, 222 OTIS. of milk, of which he says 80 cts.
produce II lbs. of butter, received only ST.
272S0,-less than % cts. pound, while ON
the cream gathering plan he would have at
least 81 cts. or $3.50. y, a difference of S257.
go. Putting this with the $50 il cost him 20
cart his milk, together with the value of the
skim milk he would save on the farm, which
is conceded to be worth l CT a quart, equal
to S3SS.22, we have an amount of S706 A.
which the gentleman actually loses by stick
ing to the old style.
Taking a. pTactieal look az these figures
and facts, any farmer must admit that the
: whole milk carrying plan, 2 looking at il
in the most charitable light, is the poorer
plan of the Two. This is being found outs
by other creameries. and several are about
making change from this original plan to
the progressive one of gathering the cream
only; and if the Pennington company would
adopt the NEW tangled notion" they would
retain their best patrons. And as the gem
tleman further states, it would have a ten
dency to encourage farmers to pay greater
attention to the quality of the COW as regards
butter, rather than those that produce the
most pearl milk.
1t is claimed that the cream gathered
plan, as prscticed at CRANKY, is the only fair
plan,-each patron being paid exactly ac-
cording to the quality of his milk, as indiea-
ted on the glass gauge of the ean,-and that
there is not a patron of the CRANKY cream
cry that could be induced to change to the
whole milk plan.-Connecticot Farmer.